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Employers value work experience over law school, survey reports

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More than half of lawyers recently polled by Robert Half Legal said their previous work experience, or the prestige of a prior employer, was the leading factor in hiring decisions. Only 17 percent cited educational background.

Lawyers were asked, “Which of the following is the best indicator of a job candidate’s potential for success in your organization?” Fifty-six percent of people said previous work experience, while 17 percent said education background. Other lawyers reported 15 percent for referral from a current employee or member of network, 4 percent for intelligence and 8 percent reported they didn’t know.

For new graduates, university prestige and class ranking can be instrumental in landing a first job,” said Charles Volkert, executive director of Robert Half Legal. “But as legal professionals progress in their careers, a proven track record and practice area expertise often carry more weight with employers. These qualifications allow the law firm or corporate legal department to add bench strength and potentially expand their client roster.

Robert Half Legal is a premier legal staffing firm specializing in lawyers, paralegals and other highly skilled legal professionals. It was conducted by an independent research firm and includes responses from 300 lawyers among the largest law firms and corporations in the United States and Canada.

Michelle Weyenberg

Michelle Weyenberg

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