​Rethinking legal recruitment in a talent-short market

Finding the perfect candidate in those practice areas and lawyer levels that are in high demand can feel like searching for a unicorn. The ideal lawyer, who ticks every box—level of experience, academic qualifications, personality, and motivations—rarely materialises. And in a talent-short legal market like New Zealand’s, the challenge becomes even greater.

So, what happens when that ‘unicorn’ candidate isn’t turning up? How long can you afford to wait before your team feels the strain? Is holding out for perfection worth the potential cost to your firm in missed opportunities, overburdened employees, or dissatisfied clients?

A more flexible, strategic approach to hiring might be the solution.

The hidden cost of waiting for perfection

As a hiring manager, it’s easy to get caught up in finding that one person who meets every expectation. But the reality is that every day without that new hire can have ripple effects across your firm:

• Overstretched staff covering extra workloads can lead to increased stress and burnout and result in greater attrition.

• Delays in turnaround times reduced attention to detail, or slow matter progression can impact client relationships.

• What value is being lost while you wait? Could matters move forward, or can client relationships be effectively serviced with a less-than-perfect but still capable hire?

Rethinking recruitment

Employers who can adapt and think creatively about their hiring needs often find themselves better positioned to build resilient, stable and high-performing teams. Here are three recent live examples where employers CoLegal has worked with, have demonstrated lateral thinking to source good talent in a hard-to-fill role:

1. Hiring a non-NZ qualified Lawyer for Litigation

A law firm seeking a litigation lawyer faced an extended search with little success. They reconsidered their requirements and brought in a common law-qualified lawyer from overseas who had transferable experience that would fill the need. While this candidate wasn’t NZ-qualified and couldn’t attend court, they had the experience and maturity to effectively support the team on cases and were also a strong team fit. The firm realised they could quickly get this candidate up to speed and fill the immediate gap in their team.

2. Remote work for a Construction Law role

A construction law team based in Auckland were presented with a lawyer who had strong expertise in this space but was based out of Auckland. Instead of limiting their search to an Auckland-based candidate, they hired a lawyer with the necessary experience to work remotely from another region as they had adequate systems and the abilities to support them in the role to work remotely. The firm had a high trust model and trusted the candidate to deliver high-quality results, even without being physically present. This remote solution filled a gap that would have otherwise remained open much longer and also meant the candidate was able to progress their career even though they weren’t based in a big city.

3. Part-time in a full-time role

In a sector where full-time availability is often expected, a law firm we work with embraced part-time working by hiring a litigation lawyer for three days a week. Though the candidate couldn’t commit to a full-time schedule, they were a great cultural fit and able to work autonomously. The firm implemented strong support systems to ensure continuity on days the lawyer wasn’t in the office, proving that flexible working could be successful in high-demand practice areas.

These examples highlight a fundamental shift in recruitment strategy: focusing on potential rather than perfection. By prioritising the most critical aspects of the role and being flexible in others, firms are filling vacancies faster and with highly capable candidates, even in a competitive market.

The truth is that waiting for the ‘perfect’ candidate could be costing your firm more than it’s worth. When you can identify the core skills and cultural fit that matter most, other aspects—like location, exact qualifications, or working hours—can often be adapted to suit the needs of both the firm and the candidate.

At CoLegal, we specialise in legal recruitment. We know the legal recruitment market, and we understand that flexibility and creativity are often the keys to finding the right talent in a tight market. We work with clients who share this open-minded approach, helping them find solutions that work for their specific needs.

Let us help you find your next great hire by looking beyond the traditional—and focusing on what really matters.