“We just can’t find good people.”

Sound familiar?

You’ve probably heard it in a leadership meeting. Or muttered it to yourself after another fruitless attempt at trolling for resumes on Indeed and LinkedIn.

The truth?

Hiring in today’s legal market feels like trying to find a unicorn in a thunderstorm. The great ones aren’t applying. The good ones ghost you. The ones who do come through the door often aren’t a fit.

And the question law firms keep asking is: “Where are all the great candidates?”

But maybe that’s not the right question.

Maybe the better question is: “Why would a great candidate choose us?”

Hiring Is a Marketing Problem

For years, law firms have treated hiring like a back-office function. Put out a job post. Wait for resumes. Complain about the talent pool. Rinse and repeat.

But here’s the wake-up call: The hiring market isn’t an HR issue, it’s a marketing issue.

You’re not just offering a job. You’re making a promise. A story. A future.

And in 2025, the best talent isn’t looking for just a paycheck.

They’re looking for purpose.

Your Future Hires Are Watching You Just Like Your Future Clients Are

Today’s law students and young lawyers are some of the most values-driven professionals the industry has ever seen.

They care about more than salary. They care about:

• Work-life balance (and not just in the brochure)
  
  
• Whether you actually support mental health
  
  
• DEI efforts that go beyond hashtags

• Whether your firm aligns with their personal values

They’re not just Googling your Glassdoor reviews.

They’re scrolling your Instagram. Watching your TikToks. Reading your “About Us” page with the same scrutiny you apply to a closing argument.

They’re asking: “Would I be proud to work here?”

If the answer isn’t clear, or worse, if it’s no, they’re moving on.

If You Want Better Talent, Build a Better Brand

The firms that are winning the war for talent have figured it out: Your employer brand is just as important as your client-facing brand.

You wouldn’t launch a new client service without a clear value proposition, a compelling story, and a consistent message. So why would you hire that way?

The same marketing principles that attract clients should be used to attract top-tier talent:

• Positioning—What makes your firm different from every other mid-size litigation shop?

• Messaging—Are you telling the story of who you are and why it matters?

• Social proof—Are your current employees sharing why they love working for you?

• Clarity—Do your job descriptions sound like human conversations or legalese soup?

Values Are the New Differentiator

Here’s the part most firms miss: Culture isn’t ping-pong tables or free coffee. It’s what you believe.

And today’s hires want to work for a firm that stands for something.

That might be:

• A commitment to justice reform
• Being trauma-informed in client interactions
• Supporting working parents
• Prioritizing mentorship and growth

Whatever it is, you need to say it out loud and often.

And not just on your Careers page. On your LinkedIn. In interviews. At law school recruiting events. In every story you tell.

Because when your values are clear, two things happen:

1. The right people are drawn to you.
2. The wrong people screen themselves out.

That’s what strong branding does.

“But We’re Not That Interesting…”

Yes, you are.

Every law firm has a story. A heartbeat. A reason it was started in the first place.

The problem is, most firms forget to tell it.

They default to vague descriptions like “dedicated to excellence” or “client-centered advocacy”. Phrases that mean nothing and inspire no one.

You don’t need to be flashy. You just need to be real.

Tell the story of why your founders walked away from BigLaw. Share your vision for building a practice that values family. Highlight the alumni of your summer associate program who’ve gone on to do amazing things.

That’s what resonates.

Make Marketing a Hiring Tool

If you want to attract aligned, invested, high-performing team members, your marketing should speak to them before you ever post the job.

Here’s how to start:

1. Audit your online presence. Would you want to work at your firm based on what’s on your website and social media? If not, fix it.
   
   
2. Feature your people. Showcase associate wins. Highlight team culture. Turn your people into your best recruiters.
   
   
3. Tell real stories. What’s it actually like to work at your firm? What do you believe in? What are you building together?
   
   
4. Lead with values. Define your core values and weave them into your marketing, onboarding, and decision-making.
   
   
5. Think like a recruiter. Your job posts should sound like invitations, not requisitions. Sell the opportunity, not just the requirements.
   
   

Final Thoughts: People Don’t Want Perfect, They Want Purpose

The firms that attract the best talent in the next 5 years won’t be the ones with the fanciest perks or the biggest budgets.

They’ll be the ones who mean it.

Who stand for something.

Who show up consistently.

Who use marketing not just to grow revenue, but to grow community.

So, if you’re struggling to hire: stop tweaking your Indeed ad.

Start telling a better story.

Because in a world full of noise, the firms that win will be the ones that are clear, aligned, and unapologetically themselves.

Want a team that actually wants to work for you? Start marketing like it.