HR Query: Why Raises Aren’t Stopping the Legal Talent Drain, Published in HR Daily Advisor

In an article published on 8/17 in the HR Daily Advisor, Segal McCambridge Shareholder Marsha L. Kempson, who has spent her career mentoring others, discusses why compensation alone is no longer enough to retain high-performing associates and why visible investment in professional growth matters. She outlines how meaningful mentorship, transparent advancement expectations, respectful communication, and attention to well-being can help professional services organizations strengthen retention before talented employees consider leaving.

“High-performing associates can often find comparable salaries elsewhere, particularly in a competitive lateral market. What determines whether they build a career at a firm is whether they feel the firm is investing in their long-term professional goals,” Kempson explains.

Kempson emphasizes that years two through four are often pivotal, when associates have enough experience to evaluate whether recruiting promises are being fulfilled and recruiters begin presenting outside opportunities. She encourages leaders to make culture tangible through consistent feedback, substantive client exposure, career conversations, leadership training, and practical support that helps associates build confidence and professional judgment.

“Employers should not wait for an exit interview to learn what is missing. There needs to be regular career conversations, candid feedback, clear supervision, and meaningful mentoring,” Kempson notes.

Read the article in full; click here.