How to Build an A-Team for Your Corporate & Commercial Law Firm

From human resources to marketing, finance, IT and administrative support, every role plays a part in creating an A-Team that drives client satisfaction, efficiency and long-term growth. Building this team requires strategic planning, careful recruitment and an understanding of how each function contributes to the firm’s overall success. Here’s how to approach it.

Human Resources: The Support Behind your A-Team

Human resources often go overlooked in law firms, but they are the backbone of any high-functioning team. While HR handles essential tasks like payroll and staffing, its more strategic role lies in attracting, developing and retaining top talent, which directly impacts client service and revenue. And it all starts with a strong HR leader – so make sure you have a department lead with strong experience and a master of human resource management. In competitive legal markets, strong HR leadership can make the difference between a firm that retains its best lawyers and one that constantly struggles with turnover.

Key areas where HR drives impact include:

• Talent acquisition and onboarding – developing a structured process to recruit lawyers and support staff who align with the firm’s values and culture.

• Professional development – creating mentorship programs, internal training and continuous learning initiatives that help lawyers and staff grow their skills.

• Performance management – implementing systems that fairly evaluate contributions across lawyers, administrative staff and other team members, ensuring recognition and accountability.

• Culture and wellbeing – maintaining a positive work environment that fosters collaboration, engagement and retention, which is particularly crucial in high-pressure corporate law settings.

In short, a law firm’s HR team ensures that the firm’s human capital, which is arguably its most valuable asset, is nurtured and aligned with strategic goals.

Administrative and Operations Support: Keeping the Engine Running

Imagine a law firm where the lawyers had to do the, seemingly endless, admin. The hours that could be billed to clients at their expert wage would be slashed, making the whole firm a lot less profitable. Instead, administrative staff and operations teams manage the day-to-day workflows that allow lawyers to focus on client work. Without these professionals, even the most talented lawyers can become bogged down by logistical tasks. Admin roles’ functions include:

• Legal assistants and paralegals – preparing documents, conducting research, managing schedules and supporting lawyers with case preparation.

• Office management – handling scheduling, client communication, supply management and day-to-day office logistics.

• Practice support teams – overseeing case management software, maintaining templates and ensuring compliance with documentation standards.

By building a strong administrative backbone, a law firm maximises lawyer productivity, reduces errors and ensures deadlines are met consistently.

Business Development and Marketing: Growing the Firm

Even in a referral-driven industry like corporate law, proactive business development and marketing are vital for sustainable growth. A top-tier A-Team integrates BD and marketing professionals who understand the nuances of the legal market. Their responsibilities include:

• Client relationship management – maintaining and strengthening relationships with existing clients while identifying new opportunities.

• Branding and marketing strategy – developing content, thought leadership, events and digital campaigns to enhance visibility and credibility.

• Proposal and pitch support – assisting lawyers with proposals for new mandates, tender responses and client presentations.

A firm without these functions risks missing opportunities to attract high-value clients and differentiate itself from competitors.

Finance and Accounts: Strategic Oversight Beyond Numbers

Corporate and commercial law firms operate in high-stakes environments, often managing multimillion-dollar transactions. Finance teams and accountants ensure profitability while providing insight into strategic decision-making. Their roles include:

• Billing and collections – delivering timely and accurate invoicing, managing client accounts and maintaining cash flow.

• Financial planning and analysis – supporting partners with budgeting, forecasting and identifying areas for cost optimisation.

• Risk and compliance oversight – ensuring the firm meets statutory obligations and manages financial risks appropriately.

A robust finance team helps lawyers understand the profitability of their work and empowers partners to make informed strategic decisions.

IT and Knowledge Management: Enabling Efficiency and Innovation

Technology is a core enabler for modern law firms, particularly as digital transformation redefines corporate and commercial law firms. IT teams maintain infrastructure that is already heavily integrated into your processes, but they can also implement systems that enhance collaboration and streamline workflows, helping you move into a new era of efficiency. Their key contributions include:

• Document management systems – ensuring legal documents are securely stored, searchable and accessible to those who need them.

• Cybersecurity – protecting sensitive client information and maintaining compliance with privacy regulations.

• Collaboration tools – supporting virtual teams with communication platforms, project management software and workflow automation.

• Data analytics – helping partners understand business trends, client activity and operational efficiency through actionable insights.

Strong IT support ensures lawyers spend less time on administrative hurdles and more time delivering value to clients, while supporting corporate law specialities through their industry’s digital transformation.

Lawyers: The Core Legal Team

Last but obviously not least, no law firm A-team is complete without the lawyers themselves. A well-balanced legal team combines depth, breadth and complementary skills. Remember, it’s about assembling the right mix of specialists to match your firm’s focus, client base and growth strategy. Not every firm will need expertise across all areas of corporate and commercial law, but every firm does need depth, clarity of roles and complementary skill sets. Depending on the nature of your work, your A-Team may include specialists in areas like:

• Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) – transaction structuring, due diligence, acquisitions and disposals.

• Corporate Advisory & Governance – directors’ duties, restructures and regulatory compliance.

• Employment & Workplace Law – employment contracts, workplace compliance and disputes.

• Securities & Capital Markets – fundraising, disclosures and shareholder matters.

• Intellectual Property & Technology – IP protection, licensing, software and data agreements.

• Commercial Contracts – customer, supplier, distribution and outsourcing arrangements

• Tax & Structuring – transactional tax advice and commercial structuring

• Regulatory & Risk – industry-specific regulation and compliance frameworks

Final Thoughts

Building an A-Team as part of your firm’s permanent workforce requires a deliberate strategy to attract, retain and integrate talent across every function. A well-rounded team should include human resources, administration, finance, IT, business development and of course, legal professionals. When these teams work cohesively, the firm operates efficiently, delivers exceptional client service and positions itself for sustainable growth.