When to bring in interim legal talent, and how to get it right
In today’s fast-moving business landscape, legal departments are under increasing pressure to do more with less. Regulatory complexity is growing, internal projects are multiplying, and legal leaders are expected to provide strategic counsel while keeping costs under control.
Permanent hires remain the cornerstone of legal teams, offering continuity, culture, and deep institutional knowledge. But relying solely on fixed headcount can create blind spots. Particularly when speed, specialisation, or short-term coverage is required.
That’s where interim legal talent comes in.
Why interim talent isn't just a stopgap
Interim legal professionals are no longer just last-minute solutions. Increasingly, they’re a strategic lever, offering in-demand expertise, agility, and fresh perspective exactly when it’s needed most.
You might bring in an interim profile to:
- Cover parental leave or unexpected absences
- Handle a spike in workload during a transaction, dispute, or regulatory change
- Fill a gap while recruiting for a permanent position
- Inject niche expertise for a time-bound project
Used well, interim lawyers don’t just maintain the status quo. They elevate it. They allow teams to stay responsive without overextending permanent resources or defaulting to high-cost external counsel.
The key: fit and integration
The success of any interim assignment hinges on more than just technical credentials. Legal expertise is essential, but it’s not enough.
What truly makes an interim profile valuable is their ability to integrate quickly, adapt to the organisation’s pace, and communicate with both legal and non-legal stakeholders. That requires not just legal acumen, but emotional intelligence, commercial awareness, and clarity.
As Fatma Keskin, former VP Legal at Delhaize Belgium, puts it in our eBook on How to Strategically Staff your Legal Team: “We don’t just need someone to tell us we can’t do something. We need someone who helps us figure out how we can.”
What to look for in an interim legal professional
When choosing an interim legal partner, focus on candidates who:
- Have proven experience in similar environments or industries
- Demonstrate the ability to work autonomously, but collaboratively
- Communicate clearly with business teams
- Can ramp up quickly and deliver tangible value from day one
At Limine, we carefully vet our interim candidates not just for technical expertise, but for business fit. Through our digital platform, clients can transparently review profiles, including rates, availability, and areas of interest, making it easier to find the right person, fast.
Avoiding the pitfalls
Interim hiring is most effective when it’s planned, not reactive. That means anticipating workload fluctuations and building relationships with flexible talent ahead of time.
It also means setting interim professionals up for success:
- Give them a clear mandate
- Provide access to the right people and tools
- Treat them as part of the team, even if only for a short time
As Nicolas Schepkens, CCO of Legal, Governance & Regulatory Division at Euroclear shares in our eBook: “The goal isn’t to design a flawless structure. It’s to remain agile enough to adjust when conditions change.”
Final thoughts
The right interim legal professional can bring not just continuity, but momentum. When used strategically, interim talent strengthens your team’s resilience, adds targeted expertise, and helps you stay ahead of change.
At Limine, we make it simple for forward-thinking legal teams to find interim talent that fits. Whether you’re planning ahead or responding to an immediate need, we’re here to support you with people who don’t just fill gaps, but unlock potential.
Let's talk
Reach out to Limine’s founder Tina De Maere at tina.demaere@limine.be to explore how interim support can strengthen your legal team.
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