Lawyer: What is the cost of hiring?

Why hire a lawyer?

Companies hire lawyers when they need legal guidance or representation, especially when dealing with complex legal matters like contracts, criminal charges, personal injury claims or employment issues.

Contributions of a great lawyer:

• trained to understand and navigate the legal system
• negotiate on your behalf
• gather evidence and advocate for the best interests of your business

Deciding between a full-time vs freelance lawyer

Whether to hire a lawyer full-time or freelance depends on your company’s specific needs and the volume of legal work required. A full-time lawyer is likely best if you need consistent legal support. Having a lawyer on staff creates consistency in how cases are handled. Freelance, or contract work, is more suitable for specific projects on a case-by-case basis.

What are the different types of lawyers?

Lawyers work with clients to help resolve legal issues. Other legal representatives may also work with clients and assist lawyers. The following is a list of different types of lawyers:

• Barrister: a legal professional who practises law in court cases and advocates for their clients’ rights.
• Contracts lawyer: deals with legal issues related to contracts, such as preparing, managing, negotiating, and working to enforce agreements.
• Corporate paralegal: supports corporate lawyers in legal procedures, maintains corporate records, files annual reports, and assists with court proceedings.
• General counsel: an organization’s highest-ranking attorney managing other attorneys and ensuring the organization complies with current business laws.

Where to find a lawyer

To find the right lawyer for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

• Law Society Referral Service in your province or territory
• For low-income legal assistance, search online for legal aid services such as Legal Aid Ontario.
• Online directories to search for lawyers by location or practice, often with client reviews.
• Legal clinics can offer legal advice and connect you with a representative in your area.

Post your job online: Try posting your lawyer job on Indeed to find and attract quality [title] candidates.

Skills to look for in a great lawyer

A great lawyer candidate will have the following skills and attributes as well as work experience that reflects:

• Appropriate education: A bachelor’s degree, passed the LSAT, graduated from law school, and passed the BAR exam.
• Licensed: A licence to practice in your province or territory.
• Extensive legal knowledge: A firm understanding of contracts, the business industry, taxes and licences, and intellectual property.
• Research skills: Ability to effectively research legal issues, gather relevant information, and analyze complex legal documents.
• Written communication: Creates clear, concise, and persuasive legal documents like briefs, contracts, and letters.
• Oral communication: Presents cases to clients, effectively communicates with opposing counsel and can deliver compelling arguments in court.
• Problem-solving: Able to identify solutions to legal challenges, devise creative strategies, and make informed decisions.
• Negotiation skills: Effectively negotiates settlements and agreements with opposing parties.
• Ethics and professionalism: Adheres to ethical standards, maintains confidentiality, and acts with integrity.

Writing a lawyer job description

A thoughtful description is important for finding qualified lawyer candidates. A lawyer job description includes a compelling summary of the role, detailed list of duties and responsibilities, and the required and preferred skills for the position.

When writing your lawyer job description, consider including some or all of the following keywords to improve the visibility of your job posting. These are the most popular search terms leading to clicks on lawyer jobs, according to Indeed data:

• Attorney
• Counsel
• Legal counsel
• Associate attorney
• Attorney remote
• Legal assistant
• Legal aid

Interviewing lawyer candidates

Strong candidates for lawyer positions will be confident answering questions regarding:

• Familiarity with your business’s industry
• Length and depth of expertise in legal practice
• Types of cases generally represented
• Any experience with pro bono cases
• Do they represent competitors in your industry?
• Managing caseloads
• Charge for services (hourly, on contingency, retainer or flat fee) if hiring as freelance

Need help coming up with interview questions? See our list of lawyer interview questions for examples (with sample answers).