Key skills in the Legal sector in 2018

2018 is set to be a year of change in the UK. Britain’s exit from the European Union is set to dominate the political, social and business landscape throughout much of the year. Brexit is likely to impact laws, rules and regulations across the board and firms and clients alike will need to keep up. In a market where change is constant, it is important to build a team of professionals who have the essential technical skills but are also able to adapt in order to navigate new challenges and propel your business with innovative problem-solving and unique ideas.

To ensure your business is best placed in 2018, we have put together a list of the most in-demand skills within the legal sector. Our team of specialist legal consultants work closely with organisations ranging from SMEs to global blue-chip companies and know exactly which skills you need to drive your business forward. Make sure your team encompasses professionals with the skills and capabilities set to shape the legal sector this year.
Concise communication | Accessible communication is considered a distinguishing feature, a value-add and a selling point.
The language of law is highly complex and full of so-called 'legalese'; as a result, inevitably some professionals in the sector can have a tendency to over-elaborate. In private practice, using clear language and writing with clarity can do a great deal for a firm's operations. Many commercial organisations use plain language as a distinguishing feature and lawyers who can converse clearly and concisely on highly complex subjects with people who are not conversant can add a huge amount of value. Plain language can be seen as a distinguishing feature, a significant value-add and as a selling point in itself.
Data regulation law | New GDPR legislation will change the data regulation landscape forever. Knowledge of it is essential.
With the Europe-wide General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) taking effect in May 2018, widespread changes in the way that a company can handle, process and use customers' personal data will have a huge impact on many areas of an organisation. Failure to comply with these new regulations can result in hefty fines. Companies may take time to become fully aquatinted with the new rules and as such there is a high demand for lawyers with a strong grasp of data regulation law, particularly for those who implicitly understand GDPR. This demand is likely to continue throughout 2018 so companies will need to act now in order to secure the best talent available.
Social media law | Data protection, copyright, libel and privacy laws all apply to social media. Are you keeping up?
With social media often at the very heart of political, business and cultural discourse these days, there is increased scrutiny on who is posting what - and where they are posting it. A retweet can land an individual in court, reuse of a photo without permission could breach copyright and a post containing false information may be libellous. With social media evolving at a rapid rate, the regulations are always changing; all the while companies, individuals and groups are using the medium more and more. Therefore, lawyers who specialise in Social Media Law and Regulation are highly employable in 2018.
Horizon scanning | Scrutinising data on regulatory and legislative changes future-proofs and identifies opportunity
Whilst recent years have brought unexpected changes locally and globally, particularly in politics, firms which can get ahead of change are best positioned to succeed in the future. Change can be viewed as a potential risk or as a massive opportunity, and by instigating a formal process of horizon scanning, firms can ensure that they are prepared for the latter. Gathering, analysing and communicating information on regulatory and legislative changes can help to both future-proof and identify opportunity. This requires an analytical mind and an intimate knowledge of regulations.

Sector expertise | Specific legal knowledge builds and strengthens trust and confidence in a firm, providing a real USP
While having broad experience in a number of sectors is no bad thing, there is growing demand for highly specialised sector expertise. For example a solicitor may specialise in property/real estate law and have an in depth knowledge of the industry. However a solicitor who specialises in this area but specifically in the retail space is an uncommon yet highly desirable individual. Being able to bring that level of specific sector expertise to a client is a powerful tool in gaining trust and confidence in your firm and can provide a real USP when developing new business.
Multilingual law | The ability to conduct law in multiple languages puts professionals, and firms, at a serious advantage
As the Brexit negotiations rumble on, the UK's role on the international stage has never been under as much scrutiny. As a result, there is more need that ever before for firms which can practice in a second language. Mandarin and Russian are as important as ever and with the uncertainty surrounding Brexit there is newfound demand for those who speak Central European languages. The UK's pending exit from the EU is set to have widespread ramifications and there will be long negotiations to be had with European counterparts for a great many businesses.
Business development | In a busy marketplace, legal firms should always be looking for ways to bring in new business
In a busy marketplace legal firms should always be looking for ways to stand out from the competition and considering a vision for development of future cases. There are a great many ways to bring new clientele into a firm, among them structured networking, building brand credibility and nurturing existing client relations. These tactics require clever marketing, thought leadership and the hiring of the right talent to push the firm forward. It requires someone with both a clear strategic vision and the capabilities to see the development through.
Financial services expertise | From blockchain to Bitcoin, financial services law is ever-changing and firms must keep up
Financial services law has to work pretty hard to keep up with advances in technology and with blockchain, distributed ledgers, smart contracts, cryptocurrencies and more to keep on top of, there is sure to be plenty of work for lawyers in this space throughout 2018 and beyond. These technologies are pretty radical departures from traditional operating models, meaning that careful legal and regulatory analysis and assessment is required in order to use them. Given the ever-changing nature of the technology involved, this is set to be a busy area of law over the coming years.
Cross jurisdiction | The global marketplace requires professionals with global knowledge
Before globalisation took real hold, lawyers could practice will little to no cross-jurisdictional knowledge. However, the skills and abilities of dual-qualified solicitors are set to be in high demand in 2018. Being able to traverse diverse legal systems from different jurisdictions is no longer solely the domain of the global firm. Now leading domestic firms are expanding and taking on international work, and as such need professionals who can take on cross-jurisdiction work in litigation, arbitration and injunctions.
Don’t be left behind in 2018. As leading recruiters in the UK and with a global network, we have an extensive database of top talented professionals to take your business to the next level in digital. For a confidential discussion about how we can ensure you have the right digital talent on your team, get in touch with one of our specialist consultants in our in-house and private practice teams.