---
title: "Legal Recruiters in Canada: Lawyers, Clerks, Paralegals | HR Team"
description: "Legal recruitment for law firms and in-house teams in Canada: associates, in-house counsel, law clerks, paralegals and legal assistants. 20% fee, 90-day guarantee."
url: https://hrteam.ca/recruitment/legal/
last_updated: 2026-11-05
---

# Legal recruitment for firms and in-house teams

In a small or mid-size firm, one wrong hire shows up in billings, client service and file errors. We screen on practice area, file load and software, and confirm licences with the law society.

## Roles we recruit

- Associates in corporate, real estate, employment, family and litigation
- In-house counsel
- Law clerks
- Licensed paralegals
- Legal assistants
- Conveyancers and real estate clerks
- Office managers for law firms

## Why these roles are hard to fill

- **Licensing is provincial**: Lawyers are licensed by the law society of each province. In Ontario, paralegals are also licensed by the Law Society of Ontario. We confirm licence status in the public directory.
- **Practice area depth**: A real estate clerk who closes 30 files a month and a litigation clerk who manages court deadlines have very different skills.
- **Software and processes**: Clio, PCLaw, Teraview and similar tools take time to learn. Matching on tools shortens ramp-up.
- **Confidentiality and conflicts**: Lateral moves between firms need care. We keep searches discreet and flag possible conflicts early.

## How we screen candidates

- **Role intake**: Practice area, file volume, billing targets, software, office or hybrid.
- **Practice interview**: Types of files, level of independence, deadlines handled.
- **Licence check**: Status confirmed in the law society directory.
- **Shortlist with notes**: Experience, book of business where relevant, availability and salary expectations.

## Checking a licence

- The Law Society of Ontario licenses lawyers and paralegals and offers a public directory of licensees. ([source](https://lso.ca/public-resources/finding-a-lawyer-or-paralegal/directory-search))
- The Federation of Law Societies of Canada lists the law society for each province and territory. ([source](https://flsc.ca/about-us/our-members-canadas-law-societies/))

## Fee and guarantee

| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| [Professional and technical roles](https://hrteam.ca/recruitment/) | 20% of first-year base salary |
| Replacement guarantee | 90 days, replacement search at no additional fee |

Prices in CAD before tax. Recruitment fees are a percentage of the hired person's first-year base salary. Exact terms are set in a written agreement before work starts.

Example: for a role with an $80,000 base salary, a 20% fee is $16,000. See [pricing](https://hrteam.ca/pricing/).

## Common questions

**Do you place partners with a book of business?**

We focus on associates, in-house counsel and support roles. Senior lateral partner moves need a specialist legal search firm.

**Can you hire for a firm outside Ontario?**

Yes. We search across Canada and check licence status with the relevant provincial law society.

**Is the fee the same for clerks and lawyers?**

Yes, 20% of first-year base salary for both.

## Related

- [Accounting and finance recruitment](https://hrteam.ca/recruitment/accounting-finance/)
- [Insurance recruitment](https://hrteam.ca/recruitment/insurance/)
- [Recruitment and HR in Toronto](https://hrteam.ca/locations/toronto/)
- [Recruitment and HR in Ottawa](https://hrteam.ca/locations/ottawa/)

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Start a search or book an HR call: https://hrteam.ca/contact/ · Email: info@hrteam.ca