Law firms invest heavily in finding great talent. You identify the right lateral, court them, make the case for your firm's clients, culture and opportunities and paint a picture of what their future could look like. You negotiate the move, announce the hire, update your website and introduce them to the world. Then, too often, the attention fades and everyone turns to the next recruit. But bringing great lawyers into your firm is only the beginning.
Lateral hiring is a significant investment and an increasingly important part of law firm growth strategy. According to the National Association for Law Placement (NALP), U.S. lateral hiring increased 16.4% in 2025, as firms looked to laterals to add expertise, expand market share and strengthen key practices. But the return on that investment begins to erode when talented lawyers feel their professional growth has stalled and start looking for opportunities elsewhere. The NALP Foundation found that 83% of associates who departed their firms in 2025 did so within five years of being hired, underscoring the challenge of retaining talent beyond the initial recruitment and onboarding period.
Every departure represents more than an empty position. It means lost relationships, institutional knowledge and momentum, followed by another round of recruiting and integration. The mission isn't simply to attract great talent, but to cultivate, support and grow those lawyers once they arrive. Recruiting, in other words, isn't the finish line. It's the beginning of a much longer relationship.
Supporting Professional Reputation Beyond Recruitment
Law firms already know that successful integration requires more than an updated biography and completing an announcement checklist. An article published by the American Bar Association emphasizes the importance of effective lateral integration, highlighting internal relationship building, business development support, structured milestones and ongoing engagement as important components of long-term success.
I would add one more item to that integration checklist: a deliberate strategy to amplify the lawyer's professional reputation, including through respected industry recognition. When a lawyer joins your firm, you're not simply adding another profile to your website. You're bringing in a professional with an established network, a body of work and credibility earned over years of practice. Help them carry that momentum forward.
A firm's track record of supporting and amplifying its lawyers' professional reputations creates value in several ways. For prospective laterals, it demonstrates that the firm's commitment to their success extends beyond the recruiting pitch. For existing talent, it reinforces that professional growth and visibility remain priorities long after joining the firm. And for clients, a firm that consistently attracts, develops and retains highly regarded lawyers tells a compelling story about its depth of expertise, institutional stability and commitment to long-term relationships.
Supporting lawyers' professional reputations is another way firms can demonstrate a long-term commitment to their talent, while strengthening their broader market presence.
From Lateral Integration to Professional Recognition
One of the simplest ways to begin is to review your new lateral hires as part of your firm's nomination strategy. Ask:
- Was this lawyer previously recognized by Best Lawyers®?
- Are they already captured in our research process?
- Have they moved into a new market or practice area?
- Are they at the right career stage to be considered for The Best Lawyers in America® or Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America?
- And perhaps most importantly, if they aren't already part of the research process, should they be?
A nomination doesn't guarantee recognition and multiple nominations won't improve a lawyer's chances of being awarded. Best Lawyers recognition is earned through our independent, peer-review-driven methodology. But for lawyers who aren't already part of our research, a nomination is the first step toward consideration. Everyone starts here.
A lateral may arrive with an outstanding reputation among former colleagues and clients. As they establish relationships, strengthen referral networks and build business within your firm, an eligible lateral who enters the Best Lawyers research process may be considered for evaluation by peers in the relevant practice area and geographic market. This can be particularly relevant when they're entering a new market or practice area.
Because lateral transitions can happen at any time, firms shouldn't think about nominations as a once-a-year administrative exercise, or recognition as something to address only when awards season rolls around. While new nominations are subject to annual research deadlines, lawyers already participating in our research process can have their firm affiliations updated throughout the year.
Make this part of your talent development strategy. You recruited this lawyer because you believe in them and the value they bring to your firm. Keep creating opportunities for the broader legal community to know who they are and the work they do.
Professional Reputation in the Age of AI Discovery
There's another dimension to this investment that law firms can no longer afford to overlook: professional reputation increasingly influences not just how lawyers are perceived, but how they're discovered.
For years, law firms have focused on lawyer profiles, thought leadership, search engine optimization and other digital strategies designed to make their lawyers discoverable.
Now, clients and legal buyers are increasingly using AI-powered search and answer engines to ask questions that once began with a traditional search:
- Who are the leading lawyers in this practice?
- Who handles this type of matter in my market?
- Which lawyers or firms should I consider?
For lateral hires, this introduces another consideration. A lawyer may arrive with an established professional reputation, but their online information may still reflect a previous firm affiliation. Ensuring that their credentials, practice areas and current firm are accurately represented across relevant platforms should be part of the integration process.
Trusted third-party sources, including Best Lawyers, contribute to a lawyer's broader digital footprint by providing independent information about their professional recognition, practice areas, geographic markets and firm affiliation. As AI-powered discovery becomes more prevalent, that independently published information can help reinforce how lawyers and firms are represented online.
As individual lawyers strengthen their professional presence, they also contribute to the collective visibility and reputation of the firm. Maintaining accurate professional information and supporting eligible lawyers' participation in independent research are practical ways firms can continue investing in that reputation after recruitment.
The Next Chapter Starts with Your Firm
A successful lateral move is more than an arrival; it's the beginning of the lawyer's next chapter with your firm. There are many ways to support that evolution and helping lawyers build and amplify their professional reputations is one of them.
While a nomination is never a promise of recognition, there is something meaningful about a firm saying:
We worked hard to bring you here. We believe in the work you're doing. And we're going to help make sure the broader legal community knows it, too.
As you review your nominations this season, pull another list alongside your traditional candidates: the lawyers who joined your firm in the last 12 to 24 months. Review their recognition history, consider their practice areas and markets and identify those who should be included in the research process.
Because recruiting great lawyers builds your roster. Helping them grow their reputations strengthens your team, your brand and your relationships with clients.
Need help reviewing your lateral hires or identifying appropriate nominees? Contact help@bestlawyers.com to connect with our Research Team.
Ready to nominate? Submit a nomination today
