Employee Journey Mapping: The Strategy Tool Law Firms Are Missing
Strategy sessions in law firms focus on clients, markets, growth. Rarely on the people delivering it all.
That's a gap. And it's costing you.
What Is Employee Journey Mapping?
It's exactly what it sounds like - mapping every touchpoint an employee has with your firm, from first contact to exit (or partnership).
Think of it like a client journey, but internal. Where do people interact with your firm? What are they thinking and feeling at each stage? Where's the friction?
Most firms have never looked at this. They're running blind.
Why It Matters
Your employee experience isn't what you think it is. It's what your people experience every day.
The onboarding process that feels "comprehensive" to HR might feel overwhelming to a new joiner. The "open door policy" partners believe in might not feel accessible to a junior associate.
Journey mapping reveals the gap between intention and reality.
Circles 2025 Retention Trends report
“The days when offering competitive compensation alone could secure top talent are long gone.”
What You'll Discover
When we map employee journeys with law firms, patterns emerge:
Early days matter most. First impressions stick. Poor onboarding predicts early exits.
Middle years are invisible. Firms focus on recruitment and retention, ignoring the 2-5 year experience where people actually decide to stay.
Moments that matter vary. What matters to a trainee differs from what matters to a senior associate or business services team member.
Small friction compounds. Individually minor frustrations add up to "this place doesn't value me."
How to Do It
Listen first. Talk to employees at every level, every tenure, every department.
Map the stages. Attraction, recruitment, onboarding, development, retention, exit.
Identify moments that matter. Where do people feel valued? Where do they feel frustrated?
Find quick wins. What can you fix immediately?
Build the roadmap. Prioritise based on impact and effort.
Start Simple
Journey mapping isn't a feel-good exercise. It's a diagnostic tool that reveals where you're losing people, and how to keep them.
You don't need consultants or complex software (though both can help). Start by talking to 10 people across different roles and tenures.
Ask: What's working? What's frustrating? What would make you stay?
You'll be surprised what you learn.
Want to map your employee journey and identify where you're losing people? Our 30-Day Sprint delivers a prioritised roadmap with measurable ROI.