Try and hire: start temporary, hire permanently if it fits

Short answer: Temp to hire for lawyers means that a lawyer or compliance professional starts on a temporary basis through staff leasing or freelancing and moves into a permanent role if the fit is right. The company sees how the person works and what they deliver day to day before filling the role permanently. A move into your team (temp-to-perm) is possible; the terms are agreed in advance.

This guide is for general counsel, heads of legal, heads of compliance and HR leads in Switzerland and Germany who want to fill a permanent role but need capacity now, or want to test the profile in practice first. It explains when try and hire fits, how to run it and what to agree up front. Alpinum Solutions is the leading provider of interim legal & compliance in Switzerland and Germany.

Who try and hire is for

Try and hire fits when a role is to be filled permanently and one of three situations applies: the work cannot wait until a permanent hire is completed; the profile is not yet clear, for example for a new function; or the role has been mis-hired before and the company wants a safer decision. Typical cases are a vacancy after a resignation, a new compliance function, building a small legal team, or a role whose scope still needs to be defined.

Alpinum Solutions provides professionals through staff leasing and freelancing and also supports permanent hiring. Temporary support remains the core service; try and hire combines the two.

Try and hire, direct hire or a pure interim assignment?

The table compares the three routes by start date, certainty of the decision and commitment.

How the interim option, a law firm and a permanent hire differ in general is covered in interim lawyer, law firm or permanent hire?.

How to run it in six steps

1. State the goal: Say when you ask for profiles that a permanent hire is the aim, so we propose professionals who are open to it.
2. Describe profile and task: Task, outcome, level, workload and location, as for any assignment. Selected profiles are usually available within 48 hours; the client and Alpinum agree the start date together.
3. Agree terms in advance: Before the start, set the terms under which a move into your team is possible.
4. Define criteria: Pick three to five criteria to judge fit, such as quality of work, independence and collaboration with the business.
5. Review after two to four weeks: The professional, their manager and Alpinum discuss progress openly. Further check-ins follow as needed.
6. Decide and transition: If it fits, prepare the employment contract and the move. If not, the assignment ends in an orderly way with a handover.

Roles and levels that suit try and hire

Try and hire works at every level from junior to senior. For junior and experienced profiles the focus is often independence and quality of work; for senior profiles it is leadership, judgement and working with management. Typical roles are legal counsel, contract manager, compliance officer, data protection specialists and AML and KYC specialists. For heading a legal department, the route via an interim head of legal is common; our guide on moving from an interim head of legal to a permanent appointment shows how to manage the transition, including when the interim is a candidate.

The workload can be set between 20% and 100%. For a meaningful trial it should be close to the workload of the future role.

Switzerland and Germany: what differs

The process and principle are the same in both countries. The temporary phase differs.

If the professional is to be integrated and work under instructions during the temporary phase, just as they would later as an employee, staff leasing is usually the right model. In Germany, decide on the permanent hire well before the 18-month limit.

Limits and risks

• No commitment: Try and hire is an option, not an obligation. Neither the company nor the professional is bound to a permanent hire unless agreed otherwise.
• The professional's intent: Not every interim professional wants a permanent job. Clarify this before the start.
• Expectations: State the criteria and the timing of the decision openly. Unclear expectations strain the working relationship.
• Responsibility: Decisions during the assignment are made by the company. Alpinum provides professionals and does not give legal advice as a law firm.

Frequently asked questions about temp to hire for lawyers

What is the difference between try and hire and temp-to-perm?

In substance, none: both terms describe a temporary start with the option of a permanent hire if the fit is right. Try and hire stresses the trial; temp-to-perm stresses the move from a temporary to a permanent employment relationship. A move into your team is possible; the terms are agreed in advance.

How long should the temporary phase last?

Long enough to assess the agreed criteria. A first review after two to four weeks shows whether things are on track. Senior roles usually need more time for a robust decision. In Germany, the 18-consecutive-month maximum for staff leasing applies.

What does try and hire cost?

During the temporary phase, the day rates of the chosen model apply, for example CHF 800–1,200 a day for an experienced profile in Switzerland (excl. VAT, as of 18 October 2026). The terms for the move into your team are agreed in advance. All ranges are in our guide what does an interim lawyer cost?.

Does the professional have to be hired at the end?

No. Try and hire is an option. If it does not fit, the assignment ends with an orderly handover. If it does, the company and the professional prepare the employment contract. What matters is that both sides know the intention from the start.

Does try and hire work for compliance roles?

Yes, for example for compliance officers, AML and KYC specialists or data protection specialists. For formal functions with regulatory responsibility, the requirements in Switzerland and Germany apply; for a money laundering reporting officer they may rule out certain models. Clarify this with the responsible function in your company before the start.

Next step

Describe the role you want to fill permanently and your preferred start date. We will propose professionals who can start on a temporary basis and are open to a permanent role.

• Permanent placement: executive search and permanent recruiting
• Vacancy cover
• From interim head of legal to a permanent appointment
• Models & legal framework: all guides on engagement models and the legal framework
• Discuss your needs

Last updated: 10 November 2026.