Premier IP Staffing Consultants prides itself on the quality of individuals and opportunities we represent. Our focus and philosophy is to provide quality service throughout the entire hiring process. Premier IP Staffing Consultants has placed hundreds of positions nationwide, and the firm averages 70+ placements per year strictly in the area of intellectual property law. We have established a superior state-of-the-art database that allows us to track the top intellectual property attorneys nationwide, many of which are not found in any legal publications. Take advantage of a firm that can offer years of specialized industry experience.

This Web Site has been developed primarily to assist our clients in recruiting and maintaining outstanding attorneys as effectively as possible. If you are not familiar with Premier IP Staffing Consultants, Inc., please visit our Company Profile, Latest News, and Recent Placements information. There you will find additional information about what areas we specialize in, technically and legally. The following information is to assist in making the hiring process a more rewarding and enjoyable process for all parties. Double click on the following links to assist you in your recruiting efforts:

• Effective Interviewing Skills and Evaluating Candidates
• Staying Competitive with Your Competition
  
  Let us provide you with our latest information on competitive salaries within the intellectual property field of law. Contact Premier IP Staffing Consultants today for the latest information.
• Keeping Your Attorneys Happy and Retaining Your Attorneys
• Offers and Offer Letters
• Premier IP Staffing Consultants Standard Fee Agreement(MS Word Doc Format)

Recruit. Don’t be shy. Let the candidate know you like him/her and think he/she may fit in well within the group. Interviewing skills can come naturally to some people while others don’t know what to say or do. The most important thing to remember is that the entire process should be a free exchange of information. You should always be familiar with a good job description, which will make the interview easier and more productive for both parties. The following suggestions are offered to assist our hiring authorities in becoming excellent interviewers.

• Welcome the candidate. Establish rapport and make the candidate feel comfortable. Light conversation is recommend to ease the tension. It is always helpful to provide a thorough interview schedule and prepare the candidate on who he/she will be meeting. Try to always prepare a candidate for any difficult or unusual individuals he/she may encounter through the interview process.
• Evaluate his/her appearance, personality, and demeanor.
• Summarize the position. Briefly describe the job, the kind of candidate you are seeking, and your standard interviewing process.
• Ask your questions. Questions should be relevant to the position and to the candidate’s legal and technical experience, education, and other related topics.
• Always ask the candidate’s strengths and weaknesses. Evaluate special accomplishments and organizational ability.
• Give them information about the firm/company. Inform them as much as possible about the job and general office environment. Share special functions or activities in which the firm/company is involved.
• Allow the candidate to ask questions, and give him/her the opportunity to provide information that he/she feels is necessary for you to make a decision.

It never fails! What we mean is, it never fails that one-day you will be the most competitive paying firm or company, and the next day you won’t be. The salaries are constantly changing, and for a long time, only on the increase. It seems attorneys are not just getting their normal salary increases, but occasionally firms are bumping up salary just to stay competitive. Staying competitive with your competition is the best way to retain your associates and the most cost-effective way to manage this situation. Everyone knows the amount of time and money that goes into training new associates. One of the best ways to stay competitive is to be active within the legal and recruiting industries. One should always know what the other firms and/or companies are doing in the local area. There are many different ways to be more competitive by using creative compensation tools such as:

• Paid Parking
• Marketing Allowances
• Medical Insurance – including independents
• Stock Grants
• Stock Options
• Vacation
• Profit Sharing
• Bonus Programs - including a percentage of billings if in private practice

Premier IP Staffing Consultants would be happy to assist you in staying competitive with your competition by providing you with the latest information we have to offer. This, of course, has a lot to do with retaining your attorneys, but it is not everything. Most attorneys will not move just for a small to medium increase unless they are unhappy.

Retaining your attorneys is not always an easy thing to do, but hopefully, we can provide you with some insight as to what makes the difference. The most important thing to remember is the work environment. This is something that the firm/company can almost always control, so make it a pleasant working environment. Strive to create a work environment that is fun and trustworthy. Celebrate the successes of the firm or corporate department. The other suggestions listed below are also to help you in retaining your attorneys:

• Remain competitive with your rival’s compensation.
• Be sensitive to which type of training and work the attorney wants to receive. This is a big deal. A lot of attorneys leave because they are not getting one or both of these things.
• Give your attorneys challenging work. Make sure they feel as if they are being stimulated and are learning new skills.
• Be willing to take the time to meet with your attorneys and support staff. Listen and address any issues or concerns in a timely fashion.
• Personally thank your attorneys for staying long hours to get the job done. Take them out to lunch for doing a great job or to recognize a special occasion.
• Provide your attorneys with frequent feedback about their performance. Make sure the reviews are detailed and start off with a positive note.
• Promote and compensate for high performance.
• Involve the attorneys as to how the company/firm makes and loses money. Discuss production, services offered, and strategies.
• With their input make decisions that affect them. Make them feel like their view is being considered.
• It is always nice when firms and companies plan activities for the attorneys. It could be anything from wine tasting once a month to a company or firm picnic every now and then. This is a great time for people to get to know each other better.

We will eventually have links on this web site to a number of books on how to manage. These books are very useful tools. The time invested in retaining your attorneys is well worth it. Attrition in an environment is not healthy, no matter what. Don’t hesitate to contact Premier IP Staffing Consultants, Inc. for any other information we can provide for you on this topic.

Offers are best when they are made in person or by phone and followed by a formal offer letter. Our experience shows that candidates who receive an offer in person or by phone are more impressed. In addition, they have a chance to ask as many questions as they feel are necessary to better understand a compensation package. Most of the time, the offer process encompasses a number of details about which there should always be a clear understanding. The offer should include the following:

• Opening sentence telling the candidate know how pleased the firm or company is to extend the offer of employment.
• Compensation (annual salary and eligible bonuses)
• Benefits
• Deadline on acceptance of offer
• Start date
• Relocation allowance
• Sign-on bonus
• Conditions of an offer such as passing a physical, checking references, background check on licenses and degrees.

It is not necessary, but one may include special job requirements such as frequent traveling. If there is a lengthy explanation of benefits or relocation, we recommend including the related brochures or specific details.