How to hire a solicitor

How to hire a solicitor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step solicitor hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a solicitor job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new solicitor
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The solicitor hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A solicitor's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, solicitors from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of solicitor salaries for various roles:

   Type of Solicitor	Description	Hourly rate
   Solicitor		$22-57
   Telephone Sales Representative	The primary job of telephone sales representatives is to sell products and services to prospective customers through telephone. They typically answer phone calls and answer inquiries from customers... Show more	$8-22
   Appointment Setter	An appointment setter supports the sales operations of an organization. Appointment setters call potential clients and set an appointment for them to speak with a salesperson... Show more	$10-21

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Litigation
   • Foreclosure
   • Alumni
   • Inbound Calls
   • Outbound Calls
   • Legal Research
   • Legal Issues
   • Legal Advice
   • Loss Mitigation Options
   • Legal Services
   • Administrative Law
   • Legal Intern
   • Proxy Votes
   • Cold Calls

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage all casework including indictments, discovery, subpoenas, and jury selection.
   • Negotiate successful payment plans for assign customers in multiple stages of foreclosure, litigation and/or charge-off.
   • File required SR-22 and SR1A forms with the DMV.
   • Process applications, payments, corrections, endorsements and cancellations.
   • Process loans for different investors by using extensive experience in processing VA, FHA, conventional and Fannie Mae loans.
   • Solicit sales for various newspapers via auto-dial telephone contact

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your solicitor job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A solicitor can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, solicitors' average salary in hawaii is 56% less than in west virginia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level solicitors 61% less than senior-level solicitors.
   • Certifications. A solicitor with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a solicitor's salary.

   Average solicitor salary

   $75,278yearly

   $36.19 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level solicitor salary

   $47,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

4. Writing a solicitor job description

   A solicitor job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a solicitor job description:

   Solicitor job description example

   Class Description
   
   THIS IS A NON-CIVIL SERVICE POSITION
   
   Litigation Chief Solicitor
   
   Overview
   
   The Law Department of Baltimore City is seeking a seasoned litigation attorney to join its Defensive Litigation Practice Group. Qualified candidates should have litigation experience and enjoy appearing as an advocate in court and administrative proceedings. Excellent research and writing skills are required.
   
   The Defensive Litigation Practice Group is responsible for representing the City in lawsuits brought at all levels of the State and federal courts. Attorneys maintain a full caseload and are responsible for continuing the investigation of the allegations asserted against the City and individual City employees, as well handling all aspects of the pretrial and trial litigation of those matters when necessary.
   
   The majority of the matters handled in Litigation are in the defense of the City. New litigation is analyzed, assessed for damage exposure, assigned for defense and monitored throughout the litigation process.
   
   Essential Duties and Responsibilities(not inclusive)
   
   * Prepare and try cases on behalf of the Baltimore City government in the Circuit Court and District Court of the City of Baltimore, State Appellate Court and Federal courts.
   * Conduct legal research and provide legal opinions to the City and its agencies
   * Defend the City government in suits brought against the municipality in the Circuit Court and District Court; prepare briefs, interrogatives, motions and other legal case documents.
   * Attend and represent the interests of the City at hearing before boards, commissions, unions and various public and private organizations and groups.
   * Draft and prepare various legal documents, including but not limited to, contracts, deeds, leases, ordinances, collection letters and reports related to real estate transactions and tax sale properties.
   * Investigate facts, develop litigation strategies; research and draft motions, pleadings and position statements.
   
   Required Knowledge, Skills and Responsibilities
   
   A qualified candidate will have:
   
   * A working knowledge of the Maryland Rules and the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, as well as the Local Rules for the United States District Court for the District of Maryland.
   * The ability to manage and prioritize multiple complex matters.
   * Exceptional oral and written communication skills.
   * The ability to establish and maintain effective, collaborative working relationships with others (inside and outside the Law Department).
   * The ability to work independently and meet deadlines while handling multiple tasks.
   * The ability to maintain professionalism under pressure.
   * A strong sense of ownership of tasks and responsibilities.
   * Strong interpersonal skills required to work with the public and various agencies.
   * Strong technology skills, including the ability to coordinate and conduct electronic discovery, as well as proficiency with Microsoft Office software and legal research platforms such as Westlaw.
   * A willingness to perform with minimal administrative support.
   
   Education, Licensure & Experience Requirements
   
   * A law degree from an accredited law school.
   * Admission to the Bar of the State of Maryland is required.
   * A minimum of 5 years of experience in trial work, legal writing, and/or municipal law and practice before Circuit and District courts.
   
   Compensation
   
   The salary range for this position is $86,518 - $138,364 and is commensurate with education and experience. The City provides an excellent benefits package.
   
   To Apply
   
   Qualified individuals should submit adetailed resume, cover letter with salary requirements.
   
   NOTE:Candidates under final consideration will be required to undergo and pass a background check and drug/alcohol test.
   
   Financial Disclosure: Under Sections 7-7, 7-8, and 7-9 of the Ethics Law outlines the City officials and employees who are required to file. Each year, the Ethics Board, in collaboration with City agencies and the Department of Human Resources, identifies required filers based on the Ethics Law's criteria.
   
   These positions typically include:
   
   As a general matter, the following public servants must file financial disclosure statements:
   
   * Officials and many non-clerical employees of City agencies and instrumentalities (§§ 7-7 and 7-8);
   
   o "non-clerical" means any compensated public servant who is not employed solely in a secretarial, clerical, or custodial capacity.
   
   * Members of most City boards and commissions (§§ 7-7 and 7-8);
   * Individuals filling procurement, enforcement, and legislative liaison functions (§ 7-9);
   * Individuals vacating any of these positions (§ 7-11).
   * Individuals filling a vacancy in any of these positions (§ 7-12).
   * Candidates for qualifying elected positions (§ 7-13).
   * Designees of the Mayor and of the City Council President (§ 7-14).

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find solicitors for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any solicitors they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level solicitors with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your solicitor job on Zippia to find and recruit solicitor candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit solicitors, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new solicitor

   Once you have selected a candidate for the solicitor position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new solicitor. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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