In Melbourne’s legal recruitment market, technical skills and legal expertise are often just the beginning of your career toolkit. Firms who are wanting to invest in staff long term and are recruiting for staff that add value to their firm are placing a premium on something less tangible but just as critical: cultural fit.
For lawyers considering their next career move, whether that involves a promotion, a lateral move, or even a transition to in-house counsel, understanding how law firms assess values alignment has never been more important.
A shift in priorities post-pandemic
Post-pandemic, law firms have recovered from disruption and seem to be reimagining the kind of workplace they want to create. We have found that they are now actively seeking people who will not only excel at the work but who will thrive within the team, contribute to firm culture, and demonstrate emotional intelligence in a more collaborative, client-facing environment.
We’re seeing a real emphasis on who a lawyer is, and how a lawyer works, not just what they can do.
What “cultural fit” really means
Cultural fit is not about hiring people who all look, sound, or think the same. Rather, it’s about whether your personal values, working style, and interpersonal approach align with the firm’s broader mission and internal culture. Australian and international law firms strongly value diversity of background and thought.
A few examples to illustrate cultural fit:
- A boutique litigation firm with a start-up feel may value adaptability, entrepreneurial drive, and initiative.
- A mid-tier commercial practice might look for collaboration, integrity, and client rapport over competitiveness.
- An international firm with a highly structured environment may prioritise lawyers who thrive with process and consistency.
How firms are assessing cultural fit
While they are going about their recruitment, we are finding that firms have become more structured and strategic in how they assess soft skills and cultural alignment over time.
They go about it in the following way:
- Behavioural interviews that explore your approach to conflict, deadlines, and client management
- Team interviews to test chemistry and communication styles
- Referral and informal feedback, particularly where interpersonal reputations can carry weight
At Legal People, we also provide valuable insight to our clients about how candidates are likely to fit within a team which is based on our in-depth conversations, career history analysis, and of course previous employer feedback and background checks.
What this means for lawyers
If you’re exploring new opportunities, your ability to convey cultural compatibility is just as important as showcasing your skills and experience on your CV.
Here’s what we recommend:
- Do your research on a firm’s culture, leadership, and values. Check their LinkedIn presence, website tone, and thought leadership articles.
- Reflect on your own values and working style. What kind of team do you thrive in? What do you need from a workplace to do your best work?
- Use job interviews to tell your story. Frame your achievements in a way that demonstrates collaboration, adaptability, initiative, or resilience – whichever traits are most aligned with the firm’s identity.
- Ask questions. Cultural fit goes both ways. Ask how the firm supports wellbeing, how they handle internal feedback, or what the social dynamic is like.
Our role in finding the right fit
As specialist legal recruiters, we don’t just match skills to job descriptions, we match people to places where they will thrive long-term.
We help candidates uncover the unspoken elements of a firm’s culture, assess whether a role is truly the right fit, and prepare for interviews in a way that brings their full professional self to the table, not just their academic transcript or a list of matters or deals that they have worked on.
In our 50+ years of legal industry recruitment, we have found that the lawyers who thrive in today’s market are not just technically excellent. They’re the ones who are self-aware, aligned with their team, and ready to contribute meaningfully to the culture they join.
Are you considering your next move and wondering what kind of firm will suit you best? Reach out for a confidential chat. The team at Legal People are happy to offer their insights into which firms in the Melbourne legal market align with your goals and values.
