How is AI shaping recruitment today? In this episode of Recruiting is No Joke, Joel Lalgee explores the intersection of technology and talent acquisition with Tom Lott, head of Talent Acquisition at Barry, Appleman & Leiden (BAL), a global immigration law firm. With 25+ years in the industry, Tom has witnessed recruitment evolve from fax machines to AI-driven processes. He discusses how AI at BAL reduces time-to-fill, addresses challenges hiring managers face, and combats biases in hiring decisions.
Tom also emphasizes the human side of recruiting, highlighting the importance of coaching hiring managers on interview techniques and overcoming bias. He explains why skills-based hiring is becoming crucial, particularly in law, where experience and education have historically been overemphasized. Tom shares how AI can automate repetitive tasks, freeing recruiters to focus on what they do best—connecting with candidates and hiring managers.
With deep expertise in both agency and in-house recruiting, Tom offers valuable insights for anyone in talent acquisition. From leveraging technology to maintaining the human touch, this episode will change the way you approach hiring. Don’t miss his views on AI’s future role in recruitment.
In this episode:
(00:33) Tom’s career transition from financial services to the legal industry
(00:43) Reflecting on Tom’s 25 years in talent acquisition
(01:19) The early days of recruiting: DOS computers and fax machines
(02:17) Transition from agency recruiting to in-house with JPMorgan Chase
(03:12) Coaching hiring managers in an in-house role
(04:47) The differences between agency and in-house recruiting
(06:07) The overlooked role of hiring managers in the process
(06:52) Coaching managers on interview processes and avoiding bias
(09:02) Overcoming the “like me” bias in hiring decisions
(10:36) Transitioning to skills-based hiring over experience-based hiring
(12:07) Shifting focus from law school pedigree to evaluating writing skills
(14:05) The role of AI in recruitment and its limitations
(15:37) Addressing candidate ghosting and improving communication
(17:10) The future of AI in recruitment and why it won’t replace recruiters
(18:00) Embracing new technology while maintaining human connections
(20:03) Closing remarks on embracing AI and staying relevant in recruitment
(21:14) How to connect with Tom and upcoming speaking engagements
About Tom Lott
He leads talent acquisition at Barry, Appleman and Leiden (BAL), a global corporate immigration law firm. With 25 years of experience in recruiting across industries such as financial services and law, Tom has a wealth of knowledge in both agency and in-house roles. He brings a deep understanding of how technology, particularly AI, is reshaping recruitment, and how human connection and coaching are integral to successful hiring.
Resource Links:
Tom Lott LinkedIn
BAL Law Firm
This episode is brought to you by Talent Llama, the AI-powered platform for high-volume hiring. Talent Llama helps teams screen faster and fairer with skills-based, low-pressure voice interviews. No more resume chaos or awkward scheduling—just real conversations. Move faster and make candidates feel seen.
About Joel Lalgee
Joel Lalgee is an internationally known recruitment leader and coach who has helped thousands of recruiters build their brands online. In 2015, Joel started recruiting for a small start-up agency in Milwaukee. He quickly found his passion for recruitment. In 2019, he discovered content marketing, publishing his first posts on Linkedin. Since then, he has grown to over 400k followers, and his content has been seen over 1 billion times. In 2023, he started a business specializing in coaching recruiters, marketing consulting, and influencer partnerships.
Recruiting is No Joke Social Media
LinkedIn
Website
Instagram
TikTok
X (formerly Twitter
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices