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GUEST OPINION: Australias legal profession is faced with a new and intersecting set of challenges.

International conflict and inflation have raised expenses for firms, while the poaching and turnover of staff is at an all-time high.

Such is the talent crunch that local firms have introduced fertility and parental leave, recharge days and flexible hours to attract and retain employees.

Adding to the challenge is the fact most of Australias legal professionals work in the capital cities. In NSW, for instance, recent figures revealed 48% of lawyers work in Sydney city, compared with 12% in the regions.

This is significant because a record number of Australians have re-located to the regions, which includes potential lawyers of the future. Also, clients in the country have historically preferred local legal firms that understand their unique, cultural and familial issues, which often span generations.

The considerable distance between regional locations and cities can also be a deterrent for people seeking legal services, particularly for those experiencing abuse. In fact, partly due to skills shortages, there have been reports of people in remote indigenous communities representing themselves in court without proper legal knowledge.

There is a clear and urgent need for legal organisations to accelerate hybrid work investments. By allowing lawyers to work reliably from any location, and providing autonomy over their working hours and arrangements, firms will have their best shot at boosting productivity retention. This is evidenced by a recent survey finding that flexibility over office hours is one of the top considerations for Australias legal professionals when theyre looking for work.

Building on existing hybrid work arrangements will also let firms properly onboard and collaborate staff across a wider range of physical locations, bringing big law firm expertise into the under-resourced regions, and nurturing the workforce of the future. As we know, lawyers, particularly those early in their careers, develop and learn best when they regularly communicate with clients and co-workers.

Additionally, the use of secure and authorised hybrid work platforms allows lawyers to do their jobs as intended, gives bosses assurance client information can be retained when people leave the organisation, and grants clients the confidence their private data is being stored and exchanged safely.

Brisbane law firm invests in hybrid work and reaps benefitsIn recent years, Brisbane-based McCarthy Durie Lawyers (MDL), which has 70 employees, faced challenges due to technology limitations. Notably, for around a day per month, the phone systems would go down, forcing the team to revert to manual workarounds. A lot of calls died or didnt go anywhere, resulting in lost business.

According to CEO Shane McCarthy, when pandemic lockdowns were mandated, the firm also wanted to roll out hybrid work in a way that enabled staff to work in a way that suited their life. Wellbeing was a priority, and MDL wanted to prevent staff from chewing into their personal time to make up for technical shortcomings.

By renewing its hybrid work strategy, including giving staff the ability to work across locations from their personal devices, MDL has reported both improved staff and customer retention.

McCarthy said this is largely to do with the ease with which staff can collaborate in one place, which has also provided assurances around the security of private client information, and ensures continuity of services if people leave the organisation.

Staff can now also be recruited from locations outside Brisbane, and train themselves, negating the resource-draining endeavour of onboarding new members. This has allowed MDL to bring city-quality legal services to regional hubs around Australia, and to collaborate and share expertise across the business when additional cases arise.

In the case of MDL, the boosted productivity resulting from enhanced work arrangements, and its ability to operate like large-sized firm and tackle large client accounts as a result, is clear to see.

Australias legal sector is navigating unchartered waters. The course needs urgent correction so Australians have uninterrupted access to an essential service, and professionals can develop and thrive in their careers, unencumbered by technological shortcomings.

By prioritising flexibility and choice for staff by putting the right technology in their corner, local firms will have their best chance at meeting todays challenges and setting themselves up for the future.

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Overcoming legal talent crunch requires the right tools - iTWire