I would say they have hired many negotiators already and will do so throughout the process. My only hope is that Theresa invokes Article 50 earlier than the end of the year because the sooner we dump the EU the better.
Many other people in Europe want to follow what us Brits have achieved and get out too, that is why some EU leaders have been calling for Article 50 to be invoked immediately before the rot spreads.
Many other ordinary people in Europe may want to follow us but our economy was in a much healthier state than most
European countries bar Germany. One look at the falling pound & the drop in confidence over the UK economy should make them think twice, given the scale of national debts. The P.I.G.S. nations surely cannot consider it would be in their best interests to leave the EU and the safety net of the ECB - they just wouldn't survive economically.
IMO the rot won't spread but the powerful masters of the EU will want to be seen punishing us, asap, firing a warning to anyone else contemplating rocking the boat.