Table of Contents
Summary
The legal hiring market is tightening, and firms that wait until January to act will feel it first. In this conversation, Nichole Hanscom, COO of How to Manage a Small Law Firm, and Wizehire’s VP of Marketing, Carmen Bryant, break down what small and mid-sized firms should focus on right now to start 2026 with confidence.
From auditing what worked in 2025 to hiring ahead of the Q1 rush and putting the right systems in place, this session offers practical guidance for firms that want to grow with intention, not scramble under pressure.
Key takeaways
- Start planning for 2026 by defining where you want to go first, then assess what’s helping or holding you back.
- Hiring early creates a major advantage, especially before the January hiring surge.
- Strong firms don’t chase more applicants; they get clear on who they want to attract.
- “Always be sourcing” helps leaders hire faster, better, and with less stress.
- Clear systems and expectations empower teams and give owners room to lead.
“You shouldn’t compare your beginning to someone else’s middle. Decide where you want to go first, then figure out where you are and how to get there.”
– Nichole Hanscom, Chief Operating Officer, How To Manage a Small Law Firm
Q&A With Nichole Hanscom
Q: Before planning for 2026, what should firms look at from 2025?
Nichole:
Before you look back, start by looking forward. The biggest mistake I see is firms comparing themselves to others instead of deciding where they want to go.
Ask yourself: What do I want to be proud of this time next year? Revenue, clients, team, lifestyle, define the destination first. Then look honestly at where you are today.
From there, numbers matter. Your profit and loss statement tells the truth. It shows how you spent your time and money, and whether those choices are moving you toward your goals or holding you back.
Carmen:
That reflection is powerful because it turns planning into strategy instead of guesswork. When you know what worked and what slowed you down, you can make smarter decisions going into the new year, without repeating the same mistakes.
Q: What’s one simple way to identify operational gaps?
Nichole:
Look at how every dollar is used. A helpful benchmark is the “rule of thirds”:
- one-third to legal production
- one-third to overhead
- one-third to profit
If one category is out of balance, it’s a signal, not a failure. The goal isn’t perfection. It’s awareness, so you can make better decisions moving forward.
Q: What are you seeing in the legal hiring market right now?
Nichole:
We’re seeing two extremes: firms overwhelmed with applicants who aren’t the right fit, and firms struggling to find anyone at all. But the real issue isn’t talent scarcity, it’s clarity scarcity.
A-players are always hard to find. They always have been. The firms that succeed are the ones that know exactly who they’re looking for and speak directly to that person.
Carmen:
From Wizehire’s data, we also see a clear hiring surge every Q1. Employers ramp up hiring, and job seekers become more active after the holidays. Firms that wait until January are competing in the busiest, noisiest window of the year.
Q: Why does hiring early give firms an advantage?
Carmen:
Hiring early lets you move with intention instead of urgency. You’re not rushing because you’re short-staffed. You’re hiring because you’ve planned for it.
When firms start preparing in Q4, refining roles, messaging, and process, they’re ready to act before the January rush hits.
Nichole:
Exactly. The best firms are thinking in October about who they want to bring into the new year. That gives them time to coach, make changes, and hire thoughtfully instead of reactively.
Q: What separates firms that hire well from those that struggle?
Nichole:
Two things: priority and clarity.
Hiring has to be treated like a core responsibility, not a side task. And firms need to know who they are, their culture, their clients, and the kind of people who thrive in their environment.
If you try to appeal to everyone, you’ll appeal to no one.
Carmen:
Recruiting is a lot like marketing. The clearer your message and audience, the better your results. The firms that hire well are intentional about who they want to attract, and why someone would choose them.
Q: Why is “always be sourcing” so important?
Nichole:
Because recruiting is a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets.
Interviewing regularly makes you better at listening, spotting fit, and asking the right questions. It also removes fear. Hiring becomes a normal part of running the business, not a stressful event.
Carmen:
This shift from reactive to proactive hiring is huge. Firms that are always building relationships with talent are never starting from zero.
Q: How do systems support better hiring and operations?
Nichole:
Systems create consistency. When hiring is predictable and repeatable, you can move faster, learn faster, and improve faster.
It’s not just about software. Systems include expectations, processes, and visibility. Employees should always know what success looks like and how they’re doing, no surprises at the end of the quarter.
Q: What does leadership clarity really mean for firm owners?
Nichole:
It starts with identity. Are you thinking like a lawyer who owns a job, or a business owner building a company?
Firms with the same revenue can end up in completely different places based on that mindset. Growth comes from stepping into the owner role and building systems that don’t rely on everything living in your head.
Carmen:
That clarity shows up everywhere, in hiring, operations, and decision-making. When leaders are clear, teams move with confidence.
The takeaway
Firms that win in 2026 won’t be the ones scrambling in January. They’ll be the ones who used this time to reflect, hire early, and build systems that support growth.
If you want to start the new year ahead — not catching up — now is the time to act.
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Wize Words
The firms that win in 2026 won’t be scrambling in January. They’ll be clear on their goals, intentional about who they hire, and supported by systems that make hiring easier. Clarity turns hiring into momentum. And, when you start early, you give yourself more options, better candidates, and less stress. If you’re ready to hire with confidence, Wizehire can help guide the way.
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