Is Your Legal Department at Maximum Capacity?

As we navigate getting back into our usual rhythm of work, legal departments continue to face a difficult challenge. In many instances, workflow has spiked above pre-pandemic levels, but most legal departments are unable to make permanent hires and remain under the budget pressure that existed during the pandemic. As a result, legal departments are working harder than ever to keep up with business demands, with burnout and attrition as a common consequence.

The current state of legal departments is similar to the economic recovery following the 2007-2008 financial crisis when legal budgets and headcount were restricted while workflow increased significantly. During that period, many legal departments turned to flexible legal talent providers for the first time. Those departments discovered that the in-house orientation and cost-effectiveness of flexible legal talent providers made them a viable solution to keep up with the pace of the business. 

Another factor accelerating the engagement of flexible legal talent is a newfound acceptance of remote work. Pre-pandemic, businesses often insisted that lawyers be onsite. Although being onsite may help a lawyer become integrated into the department quickly, the requirement means that only lawyers within commuting distance are a viable option. As legal departments now have experience working remotely for an extended period of time as a result of the pandemic, businesses are open to assistance from lawyers located anywhere in the country. This  willingness has significantly enhanced the ability of flexible legal talent providers to pair a lawyer with the required skill set and industry experience to the business regardless of location.

Importantly, not only have businesses reassessed the necessity of onsite support but many lawyers have also been inspired to re-examine their career objectives. The ability to work remotely has provided lawyers with flexibility that may otherwise have been unavailable. 

At Simplex Legal LLP, we provide our clients with lawyers across Canada, on a flexible basis, to help overcome capacity challenges and meet surging business demands.

To learn more about Simplex Legal LLP, or to explore current job opportunities with us, please
visit/contact us at: www.simplexlegal.ca/about