Q1 is often the highest-risk period for in-house legal teams. Many attorneys and paralegals are waiting for bonuses while quietly considering whether it’s time for a fresh start with a new company.
Annual reviews help, but they’re backward-looking. They focus on last year’s performance and rarely answer the question people are quietly asking: What’s next for me here?
This is the moment to make the conversation forward-looking.
Sit down with your team and talk about their goals for 2026. Look for ways to create growth inside their current role, even if a promotion isn’t immediate. That might mean stretch projects, exposure to new subject matter, or more direct interaction with the business.
When you invest time in planning the year with your people, you send a powerful message: there’s still room to grow here.
Most people don’t leave solely for more money. They leave when they feel they’ve hit a ceiling.
Q1 is your opportunity to raise that ceiling before someone else does.
