The pandemic underscored the need for solo practitioners and small law firms to plan for the retirement of influential leaders, business disruptions and unforeseen events. Firms without a succession plan run the risk of losing clients and revenue, if not more. As a law firm leader, what should you take into consideration when planning and timing your retirement? Discover essential elements of creating an exit strategy, including how to overcome potential obstacles, selling and valuing your legal practice and other factors to ensure a smooth transition and your firm’s future success. 

From the Great Resignation to candidate ghosting, most of the trends in the hiring market seem designed to give legal managers sleepless nights. The good news is that for every problem like chronic understaffing and flatlining employee engagement, there’s a solution that will help you secure the talent you need. In this podcast, we’ll discuss the seven biggest challenges facing hiring managers in the legal field today and provide some tried-and-trusted remedies to help you overcome them.

Are you looking to jump-start your career in the legal field?

Whether you are a recent law school graduate, researching summer associate opportunities, exploring entry-level paralegal or legal support positions, or an experienced professional aspiring to transition to the field of law, listen to this program to learn about hiring trends, in-demand skills, search strategies, and career tips to find the ideal legal job.

Record numbers of workers have quit their jobs, fueled in part by their desire for better work-life balance, burnout or limited growth opportunities. How can employers in the legal field stem attrition? Learn essential strategies to enhance your recruitment, engagement and retention of legal professionals in today’s workplace.

After 12 years, The Legal Report from Robert Half is gaining a new host. In this episode, Charles Volkert transitions hosting duties to Jamy Sullivan, executive director of Robert Half’s legal talent solutions practice. They discuss the making of the podcast, notable episodes and memorable guests over the years, Chad’s new role, and predict future trends for the legal profession. 

The position of general counsel has evolved during the past decade, with today’s GC serving as a strategic C-suite partner, playing a pivotal role in corporate decision-making on critical business issues. GCs also are focused on managing in-house teams to maximize value to the business – both strategically and operationally – not only for today but for the future. What do in-house legal leaders need to know to better balance and optimize myriad factors and stakeholders to achieve greater value and success?

Join host Charles Volkert and Rich Cohen, a managing director with Robert Half’s legal consulting solutions practice, as they discuss the current state of legal department operations, staffing and service delivery – and a strategic roadmap to greater effectiveness and value for the future. 

They examine:

• A holistic review approach to evaluate all functions of the legal department
• Analyzing review findings and identifying actions to create measurable and sustainable value for their organizations
• Conducting technology assessments to determine data-driven solutions and other legal tech applications to streamline workflows
• Balancing and optimizing work with internal clients, external influencers, outside counsel and legal department staff
• Legal assessments that provide critical and objective hiring insights for outside counsel, deepen engagements, boost quality of service and create value

Hiring in the legal field is on the rise and the market for experienced talent is more competitive. To remain successful in the months ahead, law firms and corporate legal departments are adjusting their hiring and compensation strategies in response to a dynamic environment. Many legal professionals are actively seeking positions that offer not only career advancement but salaries, benefits and perks they value, including work from home options. In this episode of the Legal Report from Robert Half, host Charles Volkert, a senior district president of Robert Half, and Jamy Sullivan, executive director of the company’s legal practice, discuss the latest trends.

Robert Half is not a law firm and does not provide legal representation. Robert Half project attorneys do not constitute a law firm among themselves.

On Nov. 1, 2020, California voters passed Proposition 24, known as the California Privacy Rights Act of 2020 (CPRA). Beyond establishing new and comprehensive compliance requirements, the regulation broadens the definition of businesses bound by the law and creates a privacy enforcement agency that’s expected to be stricter and more defined than before. While the CCPA remains in effect until superseded by the CPRA Jan. 1, 2023, impacted companies are already starting to study additional requirements imposed by the CPRA and address where their privacy practices must change.

Our speakers examine key requirements that differ from the CCPA, new obligations it introduces, higher penalties for non-compliance, businesses impacted, both within and outside the state, and more. They discuss a systematic, step-by-step approach to review existing privacy processes – for example, dealing with privacy notices, disclosures, retention schedules, data minimization and limitation – and identify areas where changes are required. They also offer strategies to leverage practices to comply with the new privacy law as well as requirements from other jurisdictions.

Robert Half is not a law firm and does not provide legal representation. Robert Half project attorneys do not constitute a law firm among themselves.

Charles Volkert and Kim Dickerson examine current issues amplifying compliance risks and discuss ways to manage compliance requirements with evolving regulations governing office re-openings, vetting and working with new suppliers, new technologies, and more. Robert Half is not a law firm and does not provide legal representation. Robert Half project attorneys do not constitute a law firm among themselves.

Bernie Donachie and Frank Serge discuss best practices for contract lifecycle management.

Host Charles Volkert is joined by Doug Wilbert to discuss significant legal implications inherent in the benchmark transition.

In June 2018, the Governor of California signed into law a privacy bill with significant implications for any organization worldwide that possesses or collects personal information on California citizens. Referred to as the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018, the law, which will take effect on January 1, 2020, already has companies working hard to understand its implications and to identify actions they need to take to achieve compliance.

In this episode of The Robert Half Legal Report, host Charles Volkert, senior district president at Robert Half Legal, is joined by two members of the company’s consulting solutions practice – managing director Joel Wuesthoff and director Samantha Kim. They discuss the new California data privacy mandate, explore specific rights that the law grants to California consumers regarding the privacy of their data and examine which types of businesses – and law firms – are subject to the legislation. They also review key steps organizations should take to ensure they attain compliance with the law by the January 2020 deadline.

While the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) became effective in May 2018, many corporate legal departments and law firms across the country remain focused on conforming to its far-reaching data protection and privacy mandates. In this episode of The Robert Half Legal Report, host Charles Volkert, senior district president at Robert Half Legal, is joined by two members of the company’s consulting solutions practice – managing director Joel Wuesthoff and director Samantha Kim. They outline critical requirements of the GDPR and discuss the challenges that many organizations face in their compliance efforts. They also offer helpful insights for global firms and discuss essential strategies to help them achieve compliance with the provisions of the GDPR.

Looking to re-energize your legal career, increase your marketability or boost your earning potential in 2018? In this episode of The Robert Half Legal Report, attorneys Charles Volkert, senior district president of Robert Half Legal and Billie Moliere, a district president with the company, discuss the latest hiring trends and the hottest practice areas driving demand for attorneys, paralegals and legal support professionals. They offer tips and proven strategies -- including how to enhance your resume, build a professional brand, make a lateral move and boost your networking efforts -- to jumpstart your legal career in a dynamic job market.

As the volume and sophistication level of data breaches grow, law firms are shifting greater attention and resources to address information security and cyber threat matters. In this episode of The Robert Half Legal Report, attorneys Charles Volkert, senior district president of Robert Half Legal and Scott Giordano, a director with the company's consulting solutions practice, examine why law firms are among the most vulnerable for cyberattacks. They discuss the expanding role that data privacy and security specialists are playing within the legal workplace and share insights on current strategies that are helping law firms mitigate risks and bolster cybersecurity.

As the demand for legal professionals with specialized expertise increases, law firms and legal departments are increasingly concerned about losing top employees to other job opportunities. As a result, retention efforts as well as strategies to enhance staff satisfaction are becoming front-burner issues. In this episode of The Robert Half Legal Report, attorney Charles Volkert, senior district president of Robert Half Legal, and Judy Hissong, principal at the Legal Leadership Institute, explore key factors that legal professionals value in their work environment and ways legal organizations can use this knowledge to engage, motivate and retain employees. They also discuss legal staffing options being used to help manage rising workloads, boost productivity and enhance retention efforts.

Even before the inauguration of the 45th President of the United States, leaders in the legal field were already anticipating the potential impact of the new administration on the profession. In this episode of The Robert Half Legal Report, attorneys Charles Volkert, senior district president of Robert Half Legal, and Brett Bartlett, partner with Seyfarth Shaw in Atlanta, share their insights on the possible implications for corporate law departments, law firms and the legal workplace over the next four years. They also forecast the practice areas poised for growth and share their expertise on emerging job opportunities for specialized legal professionals.

Diversity and inclusion policies are becoming more important to a firm’s bottom line and can contribute to its long-term growth and success in the legal field. In this episode of The Robert Half Legal Report, host Charles Volkert, senior district president of Robert Half Legal, and Dawn Siler-Nixon, diversity and inclusion partner at FordHarrison, discuss current trends and share law practice management strategies for establishing and maintaining a legal workplace that values diversity and inclusiveness.

Effective hiring and compensation strategies are essential to a legal organization’s ability to motivate current employees and attract top talent. In this episode of The Robert Half Legal Report, host Charles Volkert, senior district president of Robert Half Legal, and Billie Watkins, district president for Robert Half Legal, explore legal hiring and compensation trends expected to shape the legal field in the coming year. They provide insights on legal jobs and specialized skills in the spotlight and forecast legal positions most likely to see the greatest gains in starting salaries in the months ahead. They also discuss how law firms and in-house legal departments can strengthen recruitment and retention of legal professionals if they can’t match lawyer salary hikes announced by many large law firms last summer.

In this episode of The Robert Half Legal Report, attorney Charles Volkert, senior district president of Robert Half Legal, and Carl Morrison, certified paralegal at Foran Glennon in Las Vegas, Nev., and NALS board member, examine the changing roles of paralegals and other support professionals in today’s legal workplace. They discuss the expanding skill set and expertise required of paralegals, legal assistants and legal secretaries and new legal staffing models being deployed. They also share insights on how legal support personnel can strengthen their capabilities to be successful in the evolving legal environment.

In episode two of this two-part series, host Charles Volkert, executive director of Robert Half Legal, and industry experts, Thomas Barnett, Rocco Grillo and Joel Wuesthoff, discuss the key components of a comprehensive cybersecurity plan, how companies can determine their readiness, and what many organizations ignore or overlook with data security management.

 Listen to part one of the program here.

In episode one of this two-part series, host Charles Volkert, executive director of Robert Half Legal, and industry experts, Thomas Barnett, Rocco Grillo and Joel Wuesthoff, examine data privacy and security issues that are demanding the attention of legal and IT teams across industry sectors. Learn about the particular risks law firms and legal departments face and the prevention strategies legal teams and their IT counterparts are implementing.

http://www.paulhastings.com/professionals/details/tombarnettRocco Grillo, Managing Director, Global Leader, IR & Forensics Investigations, Cybersecurity & Privacy Services, Protiviti

Bio-Rocco-Grillo.aspx">http://www.protiviti.com/en-US/Pages/Professional-Bio-Rocco-Grillo.aspxJoel Wuesthoff, Esq., senior director, consulting solutions, Robert Half Legal

http://www.roberthalf.com/legal/client-services/ediscovery-services/team/our-leadership-team/joel-wuesthoff-esqThomas Barnett, Special Counsel, eDiscovery and Data Science, Paul Hastings

Data privacy has been front page news in the wake of massive data breaches and a growing number of organizations are looking to their legal counsel to help them understand the intricacies and legal issues associated with data privacy – and effectively minimize risks. Join host Charles Volkert, executive director of Robert Half Legal, and leading experts, Frank Serge and Sunny Sanghani, as they discuss what law firms and legal departments are doing to minimize risk as it relates to social media, cloud computing and data privacy.

As the amount of electronic data continues to proliferate, managing eDiscovery is increasingly challenging for law firms, their clients and corporate legal departments -- and it’s unlikely to get any easier in the near future. In this podcast, host Charles Volkert, executive director of Robert Half Legal, and leading experts, Frank Serge and Sunny Sanghani, discuss current eDiscovery trends and share proven strategies to help set up legal teams for success.

In this episode of The Robert Half Legal Report, attorney Charles Volkert, executive director of Robert Half Legal and Sandra J. Boyer, Boyer & Greene principal, examine the importance of succession planning and why it is imperative to the future viability of law firms. They discuss best practices and potential obstacles that law firm management may encounter when implementing a succession plan.

In this episode of The Robert Half Legal Report podcast series, Charles Volkert, executive director of Robert Half Legal, and George Denlinger, senior district president of the company, take a look at the practice areas that will drive demand for legal jobs in the months ahead. They also discuss trends to watch in the legal profession for 2015, including how the need for specialized legal expertise is influencing the ways organizations approach hiring and retention.

Special thanks to our sponsor, Robert Half Legal.

In this episode of The Robert Half Legal Report, host Charles Volkert, executive director of Robert Half Legal, and Billie Watkins, district director for Robert Half Legal, discuss the latest trends affecting hiring and legal careers. They reveal areas where demand is greatest for skilled talent in the legal profession, the expertise being sought by employers and where legal salaries are headed in 2015.

In this edition of The Robert Half Legal Report, host Katherine Spencer Lee, district director for Robert Half International, welcomes Attorney Charles Volkert, Executive Director of Robert Half Legal, to highlight the hottest legal jobs and practice areas for 2011. Katherine and Chad discuss the latest trends in hiring and compensation affecting the legal field, the qualities employers are looking for in legal job candidates and offer advice for job seekers.

In part two of this two-part series on The Robert Half Legal Report, Dawn Antonelli, district director for Robert Half Legal, welcomes Attorney Charles Volkert, Executive Director of Robert Half Legal and Joel Wuesthoff, Director of Protiviti Inc., to continue the discussion on how to maximize control over the e-discovery process. They discuss how to keep costs in check, what problems to avoid and questions to ask potential vendors during the selection process.

In part one of this two-part series on The Robert Half Legal Report, Dawn Antonelli, district director for Robert Half Legal, welcomes Attorney Charles Volkert, Executive Director of Robert Half Legal and Joel Wuesthoff, Director of Protiviti Inc., to offer tips on how to maximize control over the e-discovery process. They discuss the complexity of the issues, the biggest stumbling blocks, how legal support professionals can assist in the process and cost containment.

In this second edition of The Robert Half Legal Report, host Marilyn Bird, District President for Robert Half Legal, welcomes Attorney Charles Volkert, Executive Director of Robert Half Legal, to discuss how law firms and corporate legal departments are changing in response to major developments not only in the legal field, but also in the broader economy. Marilyn and Chad examine best practices for improving client service levels and business development methods in a landscape of continuous change.

In this debut podcast of The Robert Half Legal Report, host Diane Domeyer, district director for Robert Half Legal, welcomes Attorney Charles Volkert, Executive Director of Robert Half Legal, to discuss the latest in hiring and compensation trends for the legal profession. Diane and Charles will look at how 2010 is shaping up in terms of hiring, the impact of the recession on the hiring process and how to excel in a competitive job market.