Recruitment in the Legal Sector: A Recruiter’s Perspective on Today’s Challenges
Recruitment within the legal sector has always been nuanced, but in recent years the complexity has intensified. From my perspective as a legal recruiter, the challenges faced by job seekers and hiring firms are deeply interconnected. Both sides are navigating a market shaped by shifting expectations, skills shortages, economic uncertainty, and evolving workplace norms. Understanding these pressures is essential to making successful placements that last.
For legal job seekers, one of the biggest challenges is differentiation in a highly competitive market. Many candidates have strong academic backgrounds and solid technical experience, particularly at junior to mid-level. What often sets candidates apart now is not simply where they trained or how many years’ PQE they have, but how clearly they can articulate their value. Firms increasingly look for commercial awareness, adaptability, and cultural alignment, yet many candidates struggle to translate these softer skills into a compelling narrative on their CV or in interviews.
Another challenge for candidates is navigating mixed market signals. On one hand, there is talk of talent shortages; on the other, many lawyers experience long hiring processes, delayed decisions, or roles being paused altogether. This can be frustrating and demoralising. Candidates may also feel pressure to be overly flexible on salary, working patterns, or practice area focus, sometimes leading to moves that are reactive rather than strategic. As recruiters, part of our role is helping candidates balance realism with long-term career planning, even when the market feels uncertain.
Clients, meanwhile, face their own set of recruitment hurdles. The demand for experienced, practice-ready lawyers remains high, particularly in specialist or high-growth areas, but candidate expectations have shifted significantly. Flexible working, meaningful progression, and firm culture are no longer “nice to haves” — they are central to a firm’s ability to attract and retain talent. Firms that fail to communicate these elements clearly often struggle, even when offering competitive remuneration.
Another challenge for clients is speed and decisiveness. In a market where top candidates are often considering multiple options, slow recruitment processes can result in missed opportunities. Hiring managers may be cautious, seeking the “perfect” candidate, but this can lead to roles remaining vacant for months, placing strain on existing teams. From a recruiter’s standpoint, managing expectations around what is realistically available — and advising when compromise may be necessary — is a critical but sometimes difficult conversation.
Ultimately, successful legal recruitment depends on alignment. Candidates need clarity about their goals and an honest assessment of the market. Clients need transparency about their requirements and flexibility in how they meet them. As legal recruiters, we sit in the middle, translating expectations, managing risk, and building trust on both sides. When done well, recruitment is not just about filling roles, but about shaping careers and strengthening firms in a constantly evolving legal landscape.