Hiring great lawyers is hard. Keeping them is even harder.
The best in-house lawyers are curious, ambitious, and commercially minded. They want to grow. If they feel stuck or underused, they’ll quietly start looking elsewhere - and by the time they tell you, it’s usually too late.
So how do you keep your top legal talent engaged and committed? Here are some practical strategies I’ve seen work inside high-performing legal teams:
1. Give them visibility, not just tasks
Lawyers want context, not just instructions. They want to understand how their work fits into wider business goals - and they want to be involved in shaping outcomes, not just reacting to them.
If Legal is only looped in at the end of the decision-making process, you risk losing engagement. Instead, involve your legal team early. Bring them into planning discussions. Let them see what the business is trying to build, not just where the risks are.
It builds trust and keeps them invested in the company’s direction.
2. Invest in their development
Many legal teams have no structured development plan.
Legal-specific training is useful, but development should go beyond that - exposure to other functions, leadership coaching, business strategy workshops, and international projects can all play a role.
A top legal hire who feels like they’re learning and growing is far more likely to stay long term.
3. Let them lead something
Ownership keeps people motivated. If a lawyer feels like they’re only there to review contracts or “tick the box,” they’ll start wondering what else is out there.
Give them a domain to own - compliance, legal ops, ESG, product, governance. Let them run a project, present to the board, or mentor newer team members. These things help build their confidence and show that you trust them to lead, not just support.
And often, the best leaders emerge when given a chance, not when asked to wait their turn.
4. Create a team culture worth staying for
Legal can be a lonely function, especially in smaller companies or when working remotely. If the environment feels transactional or disconnected, you won’t retain talent for long.
Culture doesn’t mean offsites and company swag. It’s about how the team communicates, celebrates wins, handles feedback, and supports each other. Is there room for laughter? Do people feel safe asking for help? Is it OK to push back?
The answers to those questions matter more than you might think.
5. Talk to them before they disengage
You don’t need to wait for a resignation to find out someone’s been unhappy for months. Regular, honest conversations can make all the difference.
Ask what they’re enjoying. What’s frustrating. Whether they feel stretched, or just stretched thin. Stay interviews don’t have to be formal - they can be as simple as checking in every few months and creating space for real feedback.
Retention often comes down to timing. Catching these signals early gives you a chance to act.
Retaining top legal talent isn’t about perks or gimmicks. It’s about trust, challenge, autonomy, and the sense that they’re doing meaningful work in a team that values them.
If you can offer that, you’ll keep your best people.
Advice for Recruiting and Retaining Legal Talent
Practical insights from specialist legal headhunters to help you build and keep a strong legal team.
