Talent in the legal profession – increasingly demanding
At the recent Professional Forum, the Aranzadi LA LEY Foundation and Esade Law School addressed the matter of ‘Careers for lawyers in Spain: new skills and new knowledge’. Taking part in the event were Manuel Deó, CEO at Ambar Partners; Justo Garzón, head of Legal Operations and Planning in the Legal Department at Iberdrola; and José Luis Risco, Partner Talent Leader at EY Spain.
This panel discussion, the third of this academic year, was opened by Cristina Sancho, president of the Aranzadi LA LEY Foundation, and chaired by Eugenia Navarro, professor of Strategy and Innovation at Esade Law School. The speakers analyzed the evolution of careers for lawyers in Spain, talent retention, new profiles, innovation, business development and bargaining and selling skills.
Talents decide how and when they want to work
Talented individuals care about salaries but also about their career path and prospects. Their career is increasingly important for law firms and consultancies in the legal sector, although arrangements vary in different firms and companies. Manuel Deó explained that the fourth Industrial Revolution we are in the throes of is driven by technological progress, and the main factor underpinning this new era is how to pinpoint talent and how people want to work. “Nowadays, talent decides where they want to work, and work moves to them.” In a landscape of increasingly inefficient, local and fragmented markets, the problem in the legal sector is even more acute because Law is local, not international.
Today’s applicants are much more demanding. “The rules used to be made by others, but now they’re made by talent. High-flying professionals can decide how they organize themselves, how they work and the relationship they have with their job”, explained the CEO of Ambar.
Essential tools for lawyers
Training for members of the legal profession is increasingly broad-based and demanding. José Luis Risco highlighted that lawyers must know how to manage and work as a team, be trained in digital language and in internal and external compliance, and also be able to negotiate and sell. “To have a successful career in large law firms, you have to sell and know how to do it – selling professional services involves emotions.” The Partner Talent Leader of EY in Spain considers that “staff turnover is now slowing down and a challenge is posed by having members of generations that demand a more innovative type of career alongside those who prefer traditional promotion paths.”
Most sought-after qualities: modesty, curiosity and ability to adapt
Justo Garzón considers that the promise of fast-track career should not be the basis of talent retention. He listed modesty and a desire to learn as two qualities good applicants should have, and mentioned that, in addition to retaining talent, what matters is the ability to pinpoint it. “Emotional intelligence is important for lawyers”. Apart from career advancement, it is essential to create a pleasant work atmosphere with possibilities by involving professionals in their work and motivating them by offering them new challenges and opportunities, and handling their expectations so they can identify with the company and want to pursue their career in it. He also mentioned that senior talent is highly appreciated today. Finally, he pointed out that today’s lawyers must combine technical skills with other skills and abilities such as the use of technology, operational efficiency and time management.
