Key Takeaways

• The liquid workforce model allows law firms to scale staffing up or down based on case demand.
• Flexible staffing improves cost control while maintaining service quality and responsiveness.
• Law firms gain faster access to specialized legal expertise without permanent hiring commitments.
• Cloud-based tools make distributed legal teams easier to manage and integrate.
• The model supports better work-life balance and higher long-term staff satisfaction.

Douglas Herman is an experienced attorney based in Savannah, Georgia, who serves as Chief Legal Officer and Director of Litigation at the Hostilo Law Firm. In this role, Douglas Herman oversees legal operations, supports attorneys handling pre-suit and litigation matters, and contributes to firm strategy and operational efficiency. His career spans complex litigation and law firm management, with prior experience at firms in Pennsylvania and Georgia, including service as a partner at Oliver Maner, LLP.

Douglas Herman’s background includes supervising large legal teams and supporting high-volume, multi-office operations, which has required adapting traditional law firm structures to modern demands. His work has involved evaluating technology, staffing models, and workflow design to ensure consistent client service across distributed teams.

This operational perspective connects directly to discussions around flexible staffing approaches, including the liquid workforce model, which has gained attention as law firms seek ways to manage costs, access specialized talent, and maintain continuity in changing economic and regulatory environments.

Advantages of the Liquid Workforce for a Law Firm

Douglas E. Herman, the Chief Legal Officer and Director of Litigation at the Mike Hostilo Law Firm, advises that the law firm adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic by relying on cloud-based platforms and document management systems, allowing it to coordinate 11 offices and nearly 100 employees during a period of widespread disruption. At the time, many law firms struggled with the shift to remote work, particularly in a profession that traditionally relied on in-person attorney–client interactions, as Mr. Herman observed in a July 2020 interview he gave to Vanguard Law Magazine. In this context, the liquid workforce model emerged as an alternative approach that enabled law firms to maintain operations more efficiently and cost-effectively while responding to rapidly changing conditions.

The term “liquid workforce” first took hold in the business community in 2016. It was introduced by Accenture. It provides businesses with the flexibility to operate while remaining competitive. This approach relies on using temporary, specialized workers to respond to a business’s ever-changing needs. It also enables companies to reduce overhead and stay on pace with ever changing economic challenges.

More broadly, the liquid workforce model offers teams opportunities to share knowledge and develop skills collaboratively. As professionals rotate in and out of projects, teams benefit from diverse expertise and fresh perspectives, while individuals form professional connections across assignments. Supported by AI and digital management tools, leaders can coordinate these fluid teams more effectively and maintain visibility over performance and outcomes.

Employees benefit from this model because it promotes work-life balance by allowing them to work at home. It also gives them greater control over how they work, which promotes creativity and innovation. By working in teams, employees connect with others in their group, making more meaningful connections. All these advantages culminate in increased employee job satisfaction.

When applied to legal practice, the liquid workforce model has shown comparable effectiveness. One early example emerged in 2018, when Flex Suisse began assigning legal professionals to clients on a project basis rather than relying on traditional hourly billing. This structure helped clients manage costs while allowing the firm to allocate expertise more precisely and manage staffing more efficiently. Similar approaches have since been adopted by other firms and platforms, including LegalZoom and BizCounsel, which use flexible staffing models to deliver legal services more efficiently.

The liquid model offers many of the same benefits to law firms as it does to businesses in general, including its flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and improved work-life balance for employees. The model’s flexibility benefits enable law practice managers and directors to increase or decrease the number of employees as needed.

However, law firms benefit from the liquid model because it provides them with access to specialized talent. By hiring on a project basis, they tap into a vast pool of paralegals, attorneys, and other legal professionals, enabling them to access expertise for projects such as cybersecurity or international transactions without incurring the considerable costs of hiring a full-time employee.

Because the pool of talent expands under this model, law firm managers can be more responsive to their clients’ needs and the market environment. Ultimately, by meeting this demand, the law firms experience improved client retention rates.

The liquid workforce model becomes improved with the implementation of cloud-based tools. These project management and collaboration tools enable law firms to tap into an endless pool of freelance professionals and integrate them into existing firm workflows. Furthermore, these tech tools support this model by supporting remote work formats and improving productivity.

The liquid workforce model in the modern law firm can be transformative for practices. It enables practice managers to exercise greater control over operational efficiency, regardless of market demands. It also promotes fostering more engaged, satisfied employees.

FAQs

What is a liquid workforce in a law firm context?

A liquid workforce uses flexible, project-based legal professionals instead of relying only on permanent staff. This allows firms to adapt quickly to workload changes and client needs.

Why are law firms adopting the liquid workforce model?

Firms use it to control costs, improve flexibility, and access specialized skills on demand. It also helps maintain operational continuity during market or workload fluctuations.

How does the liquid workforce affect client service?

It allows firms to assign the right expertise to each matter more efficiently. This improves responsiveness and often leads to higher client satisfaction and retention.

What role does technology play in the liquid workforce model?

Cloud-based platforms enable coordination, document management, and collaboration across distributed teams. These tools make remote and project-based legal work practical and efficient.

Does the liquid workforce model benefit legal professionals?

Yes, it offers more flexibility in how and where people work. It also supports better work-life balance and broader professional exposure across different projects.

About Douglas Herman

Douglas Herman is the Chief Legal Officer and Director of Litigation at the Hostilo Law Firm in Savannah, Georgia. He oversees legal operations, supports litigation strategy, and supervises teams handling complex cases across multiple offices. His background includes defense litigation and law firm leadership roles in Pennsylvania and Georgia. Douglas Herman holds a juris doctor from Widener University School of Law and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh, graduating with honors from both institutions.