---
title: How to Run a Fast, Flawless Lateral Hiring Process
description: Let’s walk through what makes for a successful lateral recruiting operation, and how your firm can build a modern, efficient process that attracts the best attorneys.
image: https://insights.joinflo.com/hubfs/How%20to%20Run%20a%20Fast%2c%20Flawless%20Lateral%20Hiring%20Process.png
---

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# How to Run a Fast, Flawless Lateral Hiring Process

by [Elizabeth Greiner](https://insights.joinflo.com/blog/author/elizabeth-greiner) on June 24, 2025

[Recruiting Technology](https://insights.joinflo.com/blog/tag/recruiting-technology) [Law Firms](https://insights.joinflo.com/blog/tag/law-firms) [Lateral Recruitment](https://insights.joinflo.com/blog/tag/lateral-recruitment)

 

Top lateral talent is always in demand, regardless of economic conditions. Law firms that want to compete for the best candidates need a hiring process that’s not only fast but flawless—from first outreach to final offer. Whether you're expanding your practice, backfilling a key role, or responding to a growth opportunity, lateral hiring is an essential engine of firm success.

And lateral hiring isn’t summer associate hiring. It’s a different process, with its own demands, moving parts, and stakeholders. The lateral process can be less defined than other law firm hiring, and getting everyone aligned from the very beginning, from the approval for the opening to the interviewer roster to the job description is key.

Let’s walk through what makes for a successful lateral recruiting operation, and how your firm can build a modern, efficient process that attracts the best attorneys using tools like [Flo Recruit](https://start.florecruit.com/lateral-hiring)—and gives them a first impression worth remembering.

 

 

## **Treat Lateral Hiring as Its Own Unique Process**

 

One of the biggest mistakes firms make is trying to fold lateral hiring into the same workflows they use for summer associates. But experienced attorneys have different motivations, schedules, and expectations. They may be moving with a book of business, needing confidentiality, or juggling multiple offers.

 

Your process should reflect that. That starts with having a dedicated [lateral hiring workflow](https://hubspot.florecruit.com/blog/the-all-in-one-solution-how-flo-recruit-streamlined-law-student-lateral-attorney-and-staff-hiring?_gl=1*1t9qqj7*_ga*NzQxNTgxNjA4LjE3MzUyNDE5NTQ.*_ga_VZJK9P0962*MTc0NTk1ODYzNC4yNDIuMS4xNzQ1OTYyODAwLjM2LjAuMA..)—and ideally, a dedicated recruiting team. Lateral interviews don’t follow an on-campus schedule, and lateral candidates don’t need a callback day. They need [flexibility, speed, and coordination](https://hubspot.florecruit.com/blog/attracting-and-marketing-to-lateral-associates-key-insights-and-strategies?_gl=1*1850972*_ga*NzQxNTgxNjA4LjE3MzUyNDE5NTQ.*_ga_VZJK9P0962*MTc0NTk1ODYzNC4yNDIuMS4xNzQ1OTYzMTA5LjU3LjAuMA..).

 

## ![ats-candidate-status-3](https://insights.joinflo.com/hs-fs/hubfs/ats-candidate-status-3.png?width=752&height=550&name=ats-candidate-status-3.png)

## **Build Interview Schedules That Flex—Without Falling Apart**

 

 

In lateral hiring, time ends deals. But coordinating interviews among a group of attorneys—especially when many are practicing in hybrid or fully remote environments—isn’t easy. Add in a schedule change or last-minute cancellation, and things can get messy, fast.

 

With an interview management system built for law firms, like [Flo Recruit’s ATS](https://start.florecruit.com/applicant-tracking-for-law-firms), you can easily assemble interview schedules with the right set of attorneys and quickly adjust if things shift. Whether you’re setting up a day of virtual interviews or mixing in-person meetings with Zoom calls, you need a platform that makes it seamless.

 

## **Support Virtual, In-Person, and Hybrid Hiring**

 

Hybrid is the new normal. Many law firms have attorneys in multiple offices or working remotely on different schedules. That means your interview process needs to accommodate both virtual and in-person formats—and often, a combination of both.

 

Flo Recruit was built for this reality. With flexible scheduling tools and integrated video capabilities, firms can [switch between virtual and in-person interview](https://start.florecruit.com/virtual-and-in-person-interviews-for-law-firms) formats as needed—without making the process harder for candidates or interviewers.

 

## **Track Where Every Candidate Comes From**

 

 

Unlike student recruiting, where most resumes arrive through law school OCI or applications to a portal, lateral candidates often come from a range of sources: search firms, direct applicants, internal referrals, LinkedIn outreach, and more. Flo Recruit offers a portal specifically designed for search firms, making it easy to track and use for everyone.

 

If you can’t see where candidates are coming from, it’s hard to know where your best leads are—and where to invest time and money. A [strong ATS](https://start.florecruit.com/applicant-tracking-for-law-firms) should let you track every candidate source accurately, so you can identify what’s working and optimize your approach accordingly.

 

## **Make Feedback Collection Effortless**

 

When a great lateral candidate meets with your attorneys, what happens next shouldn’t be a mystery. But too often, collecting interviewer feedback is a game of email tag—and decisions stall because key people haven’t weighed in.

 

With Flo Recruit, you can prompt interviewers to submit feedback directly through the platform, keeping everything centralized and easy to share with the hiring partner, recruiting team, and practice group leaders. You speed up hiring decisions—and reduce the chance of losing great talent to a faster-moving firm.

 

**Deliver the Insights That Drive Smarter Hiring**

 

Data isn’t just for year-end reports. With robust reporting tools, you can monitor how long roles stay open, how quickly candidates move through stages, and which parts of your process need attention.

 

Flo Recruit’s [built-in reports](https://hubspot.florecruit.com/blog/how-winstead-transformed-partner-hiring-with-flo-recruits-live-reporting-efficiencies?_gl=1*1r8aa0x*_ga*NzQxNTgxNjA4LjE3MzUyNDE5NTQ.*_ga_VZJK9P0962*MTc0NTk1ODYzNC4yNDIuMS4xNzQ1OTYzMTE3LjQ5LjAuMA..) help you identify bottlenecks and see where gaps might be forming—whether it’s a certain practice group with slower decision cycles or a city office struggling to attract applicants. That insight is key to scaling your lateral hiring without sacrificing quality or speed.

 

![lateral-conversion-report](https://insights.joinflo.com/hs-fs/hubfs/lateral-conversion-report.png?width=752&height=679&name=lateral-conversion-report.png)

 

## **Communicate Clearly—with Everyone**

Lateral hiring involves more stakeholders than you might think. You’re coordinating with candidates, recruiters, practice leaders, interviewers, and occasionally external search firms—all of whom need updates at different points.

 

Managing this communication manually is nearly impossible. Instead, your ATS should allow you to automate regular updates, trigger follow-ups, and keep your internal team aligned on where every candidate stands. That visibility reduces errors and ensures no one gets left wondering what’s next.

 

![amy-quote](https://insights.joinflo.com/hs-fs/hubfs/amy-quote.png?width=1876&height=569&name=amy-quote.png)

 

**Stay on Top of Every Candidate’s Status**

You can’t afford to lose track of a high-potential candidate because someone forgot to send a thank-you or mark a stage complete. With Flo Recruit, you can easily see which candidates are active, which are waiting on feedback, and which are nearing the offer stage—all in one view.

 

This transparency helps you keep momentum, identify delays before they become problems, and confidently move your top choices forward without guesswork.

 

![ats-lateral-candidate-status-2](https://insights.joinflo.com/hs-fs/hubfs/ats-lateral-candidate-status-2.png?width=1383&height=1363&name=ats-lateral-candidate-status-2.png)

## **Choose a System That Does More Than Track**

A good Applicant Tracking System isn’t just a database. It should be a tool that empowers your recruiting team to move quickly, collaborate more effectively, and give every candidate a consistent, branded experience.

 

Flo Recruit offers customizable workflows, flexible interview formats, built-in communication tools, and real-time reporting—so your lateral hiring isn’t just fast, it’s future-proof.

## **Make a Strong First Impression—From the Very First Touchpoint**

For lateral candidates, the interview process is often their first real interaction with your firm. How easy it is to schedule? How polished are the communications? Do interviewers show up prepared? These details shape a candidate’s perception—and influence whether they accept an offer.

 

When you run a thoughtful, organized process, it shows candidates that your firm values their time and professionalism. That goes a long way in winning over top-tier talent.

 

## **Conclusion**

In lateral hiring, speed and precision matter. The best attorneys often have multiple offers and little time to waste. If your firm can’t offer a seamless candidate experience, they’ll find one that does. By treating lateral recruiting as its own process, leveraging technology like Flo Recruit, and committing to constant improvement, your firm can run a hiring process that’s not only faster—but more effective, consistent, and candidate-friendly.

 

Looking to upgrade your lateral hiring process? [Let’s talk](https://start.florecruit.com/request-demo).

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![Elizabeth Greiner](https://insights.joinflo.com/hubfs/IMG_3262.jpg)

#### Elizabeth Greiner

Elizabeth Greiner has worked for more than ten years in BigLaw legal recruiting and professional development at large law firms, both in New York and San Francisco. In addition to her BigLaw recruiting experience, she has spent the last eight years in Austin, TX working on podcast content development, recruiting, and career counseling for law students.

### Leave a comment:

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