Why Smart Law Firms Hire in the Summer (While Everyone Else Is Out)
There’s a persistent belief in legal hiring that summer is a dead zone. Partners head to the lake. Administrators stagger PTO. Candidates go silent. So the assumption is: why bother recruiting before fall?
But for law firms thinking ahead, this mindset is a missed opportunity. Because the reality—supported by hard data—is this: summer is one of the most strategic seasons to hire.
While your competitors are checked out, you could be securing top-tier talent.
The Summer Gap: When Candidates Are Active, and Firms Are Not
Let’s start with what the numbers say.
According to the 2025 NALP Foundation Midyear Report, 42% of associates reported initiating their job searches between June and August. Their reasons varied, but several key trends emerged:
Midyear review fallout: Associates feel stalled or underappreciated
Bonus disappointment: Promises fall flat or expectations shift
Career clarity: Time away from the daily grind helps them reassess
This creates a unique dynamic: an increase in candidate activity at the same time that firm-side hiring slows down.
In fact, the 2024 Thomson Reuters Institute Legal Hiring Trends report found that midsized firms decreased internal hiring by almost 30% during the summer months. That includes paused requisitions, delayed interview timelines, and slowed approvals—largely due to scheduling conflicts and seasonal assumptions.
So while candidates are quietly exploring what’s next, fewer firms are posting jobs or advancing interviews.
That’s your opening.
The Competitive Advantage of Hiring in a Quieter Market
For firms that choose to stay active, the advantages are substantial:
Less market noise: Your open position gets more visibility and response
Higher acceptance rates: Top candidates face fewer competing offers
Faster interview cycles: Attorneys and staff have more calendar flexibility
More negotiating power: Fewer counteroffers from other firms
In short, summer offers the ideal conditions for strategic hiring—not because it’s busier, but because it’s less busy.
Hiring during this window gives your firm time to evaluate fit, vet candidates thoroughly, and avoid the fall hiring bottleneck that so often leads to rushed decisions.
Summer Reflection Breeds Career Movement
It’s easy to assume that candidates "aren’t looking" in the summer. But what’s really happening is subtler: they're thinking.
Summer provides the mental space lawyers rarely get during trial prep or deal season. Many use this time to reflect on their long-term goals, weigh internal frustrations, and gather the courage to make a move.
Here’s what I’ve personally heard from candidates in July:
“I’ve been too busy to think until now.”
“After our bonus meeting, I knew I needed to explore other options.”
“My partner is out of town, so I finally had time to update my materials.”
This applies beyond associates. Paralegals and legal admins are often more available and reflective in the summer as well—especially if they’re managing workloads alone while attorneys take PTO. That temporary increase in responsibility can clarify what they want from their next role.
The Fall Rush Is Crowded—and Costly
If you wait until after Labor Day, you’ll be hiring in a saturated market.
Every year, firms flood the market in Q3 and Q4 trying to hire before year-end. The resulting crunch often leads to:
Rushed interviews just to keep up with internal deadlines
FOMO offers made out of panic, not precision
Poor onboarding due to holidays and overloaded schedules
It’s no surprise that January is one of the highest months for rehires and exits. These fall hires often aren’t bad candidates—but they weren’t thoughtfully matched to the role.
Summer hiring solves that.
It gives your team time to evaluate culture fit, structure onboarding, and plan integration before Q4 pressures hit.
Case in Point: A Summer Placement Story
One of our recent law firm clients filled a litigation associate opening in July after holding off since spring. They were skeptical—until we introduced an associate who had just received a lukewarm midyear review and quietly reached out, saying:
“I’m not unhappy here. But I’m not excited to stay another year, either.”
Because the firm was willing to move in July, they completed interviews in two weeks, made a competitive offer, and had the candidate ready to onboard by September. They avoided the fall chaos completely—and the associate didn’t have to compete against a dozen other roles.
Win-win.
Action Steps for Law Firms Ready to Get Ahead
If you want to take advantage of this window, here’s what you can do:
Reopen paused roles: If you’ve been sitting on a req, now’s the time.
Audit your team: Are there underperforming hires you could upgrade?
Plan for year-end: What roles do you wish were already filled before Q4?
Connect with recruiters: Get a head start before the fall flood begins.
Remember: hiring doesn’t have to follow the traditional school-year calendar. Some of the best long-term placements happen because a firm acted while others hesitated.
Final Thought: Strategy > Seasonality
Smart firms don’t follow the crowd—they lead it.
By hiring during summer, you’re not just filling a role. You’re creating breathing room for better decisions, accessing talent others overlook, and positioning your firm ahead of the Q4 scramble.
Don’t wait for the new year to build the team you need now.