Every Law Firm Needs a Director of Lateral Integration – Here’s Why
- doller8
- Jul 16
- 2 min read
Lawyers often ask me what they can do to improve retention. I have many solutions. But this—just this one action—can help law firms execute on most of them: hire a Director of Lateral Integration. And if your firm is large and on a lateral hiring spree, hire a team (just make sure each member is senior enough to direct support across departments).
A Director of Lateral Integration will:
Ensure that success is defined in collaboration with your candidate during the recruiting process.
Urge you to establish success markers or KPIs so you can track progress (resist the temptation to skip this because of unknowns—KPIs can be revised).
Coordinate support across business services teams for effective client announcements, smooth client transitions, impactful introductions, business plan execution, and follow-up action tracking, among other imperatives.
Equip your lateral for strategically important meetings—both internal and external—with intelligence briefings, key messages, targeted materials, agendas, and business development support.
Hold regular check-in meetings with your lateral and stakeholders to ensure progress toward the lateral’s and the firm’s objectives.
Support your lateral beyond onboarding and all the way through successful integration—whether that takes six months or three years.
Many firms have already taken this step and enjoy the added benefit of being able to tell candidates exactly what type and level of integration support they will receive. This is a huge draw for accomplished lawyers who are betting their careers on selecting the right firm.
Others remain unconvinced they have enough lateral activity to justify a full-time professional. They have two options:
Hire a consultant with decades of Big Law experience in your markets and practices to fill the need.
Add a coaching or professional development component to the role (as long as the professional is independent of practice leader allegiance, which can dilute resources and create competition).
Whether you bring this capability in-house or engage an external expert, investing in dedicated lateral integration is a true strategic advantage. Firms that get this right not only improve retention but also accelerate profitability, strengthen culture, and position themselves as the destination of choice for top talent.
