By Mary Clare Garber, Principal of Princeton Legal Search Group, LLC
As General Counsel, hiring the right legal talent is only part of the equation—ensuring that each new hire delivers meaningful impact is the ultimate goal. But how do you determine which roles, skill sets, and priorities will drive the most value for your department and the business?
One simple yet powerful question can serve as your guide:
“A year from now, we’re meeting for lunch, and I (Mary Clare Garber) ask you, how has [new hire’s name] made an impact on your department? What’s changed, and how has it helped you?”
This question is more than a hypothetical—it’s a strategic tool that challenges you to think proactively about the evolving needs of your legal function. When used effectively, it can help you define hiring priorities, set expectations, and ensure that each new addition to your team aligns with long-term business objectives.
Why This Question Works
- Clarifies the Business Need
Before making a hiring decision, defining the problem that the new role will solve is crucial. Asking yourself—or key stakeholders—this question helps uncover the real gaps in your legal function. Are you looking to streamline contract negotiations? Reduce regulatory risk? Free up senior lawyers for higher-value work? Identifying the ultimate impact ensures that you’re not hiring reactively but strategically. - Establishes Clear Success Metrics
The question forces you to articulate what success looks like a year from now. If you can’t easily describe the measurable difference the hire will make, you may need to rethink the role’s scope or necessity. This also helps in performance management—you and the new hire will clearly understand expectations from day one. - Aligns Legal with Business Priorities
A legal department that operates in a vacuum misses opportunities to drive business value. Posing this question to business leaders ensures that your hiring decisions are informed by their most pressing needs. If they struggle to answer, it may indicate a disconnect between legal and the broader business strategy—an opportunity to realign priorities. - Helps Justify Headcount and Resources
Legal teams are often under pressure to do more with less. By framing hiring needs in terms of tangible business outcomes—risk reduction, efficiency gains, revenue protection—you build a stronger case for securing budget and resources.
How to Use This Question Effectively
- Before hiring: Ask yourself and key stakeholders what meaningful change a new hire should bring within a year. If the answer isn’t compelling, reconsider the role or its responsibilities.
- During the interview process: Use the question to assess candidates. Can they articulate how they would approach their first year and deliver value?
- Post-hire check-ins: At six months and a year in, revisit the question to evaluate progress. Is the impact aligning with expectations? If not, what adjustments are needed?
Final Thought: Hiring with Purpose
Great legal teams don’t just fill positions—they build capability, solve problems, and drive business success. By using this question as a decision-making framework, General Counsel can ensure that each hiring move is intentional, impactful, and aligned with the organization’s evolving needs.
Final Thought for Those Who Dare to Explore Beyond….
For those of you who are willing to reflect more broadly and envision your own personal and professional development, Dan Sullivan, in his Strategic Coach program, asks a more holistic question: “If we were having this discussion three years from now, and you are looking back over the last three years, what has to have happened in your life, both personally and professionally, for you to feel happy with your progress?”
