Building Diverse Teams at Scale in Legal

Key takeaways

• 120+ hires delivered since April 2021 
• 20+ placements completed already in 2025, with active roles still in motion 
• Gender representation across placements: 58% male, 42% female 
• Embedded hiring support across Partner, ECI, MCG, and FS teams 
• Long-term impact on structure, speed, and team composition 

The challenge 

One of the largest labor and employment law firm in the US needed to grow its team fast. Internal recruitment resources were limited, hiring targets were high, and leadership was focused on improving gender balance across key business areas. 

Traditional sourcing wasn’t delivering the volume or diversity required. The firm needed a partner who could move quickly, engage high-quality candidates and build diverse teams in a competitive legal market. 

One of the core challenges was improving female representation at senior levels. In many legal markets, women hold fewer than 30 percent of Partner roles, making it difficult to build balanced shortlists without extending timelines or adjusting hiring criteria. This disparity is particularly pronounced in private practice and practice areas tied to financial services, where legacy promotion structures and historical attrition have narrowed the pool of senior female candidates. 

The firm needed a strategy that could work within these constraints without lowering the bar for performance or experience. 

The solution 

Larson Maddox stepped in to provide full delivery support across multiple verticals, including Partner, ECI, MCG and FS legal roles. We worked directly with hiring managers to refine the briefs, align on selection criteria and tailor outreach strategies that prioritised diversity without compromising capability or sector experience. 

Candidate pipelines were built with a clear focus on technical fit, cultural alignment and gender representation. We adjusted longlisting methodology, expanded outreach beyond standard networks and used data to identify overlooked profiles. At every stage, our aim was to present a qualified, representative shortlist. 

Throughout the process, we maintained close alignment with the client through weekly reporting, candidate insights and real-time feedback loops. This allowed for agile adjustments to outreach, role positioning and interview strategy as needed. 

The result 

Since 2021, 120+ hires have been completed, averaging 25 per year. In 2025 so far alone saw 20+ hires finalised, with more actively progressing. 

• Across all placements, the gender split reached 58% male and 42% female 
• At Partner level, female representation reached 43% 

This was a strong outcome in a market where senior female talent remains underrepresented, particularly in complex or highly specialised practice areas. It reflected the client’s sustained commitment to gender equity, as well as their openness to adjusting internal expectations and timelines to support that goal. 

Larson Maddox continues to support the client in embedding long-term diversity into its legal hiring strategy, not just at senior level but through pipelining, promotion planning and market engagement. 

What set us apart 

Larson Maddox delivered more than just placements. We brought structure, pace and clarity to a hiring process that had previously lacked consistency. The goal wasn’t simply to fill roles, but to build a repeatable, high-quality hiring framework aligned with the client’s evolving needs. 

By embedding closely with internal teams, we gained a clear understanding of business priorities, role expectations and hiring challenges across functions. This allowed us to act as an extension of their in-house talent function, not just an external search partner. 

Targeted sourcing strategies were tailored to each vertical, reducing noise in the process and narrowing in on the profiles that mattered. We focused on role readiness, long-term fit and candidate motivation, rather than volume-driven outreach. As a result, time to hire improved and candidate quality increased across the board. 

We also helped shape the overall delivery model. Our real-time market insight, knowledge of function-specific nuances and experience managing hiring at scale meant we could guide decisions around role design, interview structure and offer strategy. The process became more agile and predictable, allowing the business to move faster without sacrificing quality or alignment. 

Summary 

Hiring at scale while improving gender representation requires focus, alignment, and the right partner. This wasn’t just about filling roles. It was about building teams, strengthening culture, and supporting the firm’s long-term vision. Larson Maddox helped this leading legal employer move quickly, hire confidently, and build a more balanced, effective workforce.