Connecting the Dots: Lessons Learned from Our Junior Survey on Law Firms and Emerging Legal Talent

In 2023, Tracument unveiled a new survey designed to facilitate meaningful conversation and connection between law firms and emerging legal professionals. Our objective was to gain insight into the preferences of law firms and simultaneously understand the expectations of new legal professionals regarding their prospective employers.

The legal industry is constantly evolving, shaping the expectations of both employers and potential employees. While a number of key elements were noted from both respondents' groups, mentorship was the common area of focus for junior professionals. However, surprisingly, over 50% of firms don't offer mentorship programs, which is a significant concern for legal students entering the workforce. This is only one of the main challenges we discuss.

In this blog series, we will discuss what employers need to hear from potential employees, what they are seeking, and their pain points. We'll also explore what firms find important in new legal talent and what junior legal professionals should do to appeal to their desired firms. Topics like salary negotiations and handling multiple job offers will be covered, addressing what makes a firm stand out and what students should prioritise. Additionally, we explore the main points of our survey and how to bridge the gap between junior legal professionals and legal firms through mentorship.

This blog series aims to actively analyse these findings, providing insights into both perspectives and shedding light on the current legal landscape to guide us towards future directions.

We recently released the results of our 2023 Legal Trends and Challenges Survey. Read about the trends and challenges of the 2023 year and how they could correlate with the Early Career Survey results. We will be rolling out the 2024 legal survey out soon, so please stay tuned to our social media for more information and survey links.