In-House Legal Market Update

The in-house legal market has witnessed a surge of roles from organic business growth and replacement hires across Commerce & Industry and Financial Services, coupled with one of the busiest markets in Private Practice for many years.  

What does this now mean for in-house teams looking to hire lawyers? Since the beginning of the pandemic, many top city Law Firms have fully embraced flexible working. In addition to this, they have recently announced some substantial salary increases, particularly at the junior level, these have contributed to making the lure of moving in-house far less attractive. With many in-house legal roles typically being at the junior end (NQ-8PQE), this is posing a problem with hiring managers in-house.    

There are many attractive reasons for Private Practice lawyers to move in-house, such as proximity to the business, brand and culture, having more strategic commercial input, and getting to know the ins and outs of one organisation instead of many – these will always be a significant advantage over what most Law Firms can offer.  

With active candidates now interviewing at several organisations at a time, the onus is on the employer to have a quick process, promote their business, team, and culture, and to provide an environment for new hires to grow and further develop their skills. Partnering with a legal specialist recruitment firm enables hiring managers to tap into the passive candidate market.

If you are a line manager interested in discussing the current market, or a lawyer looking for opportunities, please do reach out to our dedicated legal recruiters:  

Nick Wilkins | Associate Partner, Head of C&I Legal
T: +44 (0) 207 471 8975 | E: nwilkins@danosassociates.com  

Maame Eshun  | Senior Associate, EMEA Head of In-House Legal
T: +44 (0) 203 908 4809 | E: meshun@danosassociates.com