Associates Are Paying Attention to Perks, and So Should You

Prioritizing these extras can benefit your firm’s recruitment and retention efforts.

By Mindy Charski

August 2026

Hear a rumble? It’s the sound of attorneys on the move. Forty percent of legal professionals in the U.S. plan to look for a new role in the second half of 2026, according to a survey from talent solutions firm Robert Half. Legal firms aren’t just competing with other law offices for lateral associates and entry-level attorneys. Corporations and entities in the public sector also have legal roles to fill.

In such a competitive environment for talent, every element of a compensation package deserves careful consideration by legal management professionals, including the special extras known as perks. While associates aren’t likely to base their employment decisions on perks alone, offering ones that add value to a workplace experience can favorably impact a firm’s recruitment and retention efforts.

Why Perks Matter

The perks a firm provides come into play because lawyers don’t generally only consider direct compensation in career decisions. In fact, Robert Half’s recent research found that of those legal professionals planning to switch jobs, only about a third (31%) cited “more pay” as a top motivator. Reasons that ranked higher were more remote work flexibility (38%), better benefits and perks (37%) and career advancement opportunities (37%).

“Today's legal professionals, predominantly attorneys, if they’re going to make a move, they're looking at roles holistically,” says Jamy Sullivan, executive director of the legal practice at Robert Half. “Flexibility, workload, growth opportunities, culture — all of that’s going to be important, as well as compensation. We’re not saying that [compensation] is completely out the door, but it’s not what’s leading the minds of candidates that are looking to make a move.”

For Am Law 50 firms, where market compensation for associates is generally consistent, perks can be particularly impactful. “I think that perks are a good way for a firm to distinguish itself in a world where compensation in Big Law is largely flat,” says Kate Reder Sheikh, a partner at legal executive search firm Major, Lindsey & Africa.

Extras serve another purpose for law firms of all sizes: They say a lot about an organization's way of life. “I don’t think perks are small when you pull them all together,” Reder Sheikh says. “I think that when people talk about culture, this is one of the things they talk about.”

In-Demand Perks

So much more now falls under the umbrella of perks than free snacks.

Many legal professionals are seeking different kinds of perks that support a work-life balance. These extras can include mental health resources and wellness programs with subsidized gym memberships.

Perks can also extend into scheduling flexibility. Sullivan says many small and midsize firms, for example, are able to offer flexibility around start and stop times within client demand workflows. The opportunity to work in a hybrid arrangement can be meaningful as well. “Even being able to offer one day remote is still very attractive to candidates,” Sullivan says.

Reder Sheikh finds that one highly desired perk pertains to billable hours. “In Big Law, I can tell you the perk that associates want more than any other is prorated hours for their vacation time,” she says. “They want to put the billable clock on pause when they go on vacation.”

“Today's legal professionals, predominantly attorneys, if they’re going to make a move, they're looking at roles holistically.”

She’s also learned that some associates would like their firm to pay for services like pickup and delivery of dry cleaning, a backup nanny option and a dog walker for when they’re in the office more than 12 hours a day.

Reder Sheikh notes an important caveat, however. “I think that people are of two minds,” she says. “They’re like, ‘I would like these perks that make my life easier but not at the expense of actually being present for my life.’”

Perks Hidden Under the Surface

Law practices may already offer what could be considered desirable perks but may not categorize them — or advertise them — as such. For example, take leadership development, reimbursement for continuing legal education and mentorship programs. “Those are all really important to legal professionals specifically when they think about career development as an added perk in an overall package,” Sullivan says.

Even new legal technologies can have a perk feel to them. AI-assisted research tools, among others, are particularly attractive to younger associates. These tools can help attorneys work more efficiently, Sullivan says, and investing in legal technology also sends a message that the firm is forward-thinking and innovative.

The nebulous nature of perks invites creativity.

Secondments, or temporary transfers to a different office or within a client’s organization, can also be seen as valuable perks. “I know of one team in the Bay Area that seconds to their Paris office pretty liberally, and that is a major selling point,” Reder Sheikh says.

Think Creatively About New Perks

The nebulous nature of perks invites creativity. Employee surveys can help surface feedback about new and existing offerings.

Reder Sheikh knows of a firm that offers billable credit for “thinking time,” like while on a walk. She says, “That was not the decisive factor, but it was certainly in the witches' brew for one of my candidates because it signaled to her what this firm was.”

Thinking outside the box about perks can earn firms coverage in legal press and word-of-mouth among associates, Reder Sheikh says. Other payoffs can be significant, too. “It may be just the thing that pushes [a firm] over a peer firm when somebody’s lateraling,” she says, “Or it may be just the thing that keeps that really talented seventh-year mom with three kids feeling able to stay, make partner and build the rest of their career there.”