Ambition driving legal moves as confidence in the sector holds firm

29% of the legal talent pool are actively seeking new opportunities according to research we have undertaken when compiling the legal sector's 2017 Salary and Benefits Benchmarker.

Fluidity in the legal talent pool has remained steady over there past 12 months in the face of political and economic uncertainty. In 2016 32% of Solicitors, Legal Executives, Paralegals and other legal professionals were on the move and in 2015 42% were considering their futures. 

Job security and redundancy driven decisions have hit a 3-year low, falling from 15% in 2015 to just 10% in 2017.

Money is still on the table but for most legal professionals it is not a primary motivator when it comes to making career decisions.

London’s talent pool is the most fluid of all the regions with 34% of legal professionals including Solicitors, Legal Executives and Paralegals actively looking for jobs in the legal sector. London based lawyers feel the most secure about their job roles.

The North of England’s talent pool demonstrates an average level of fluidity, the majority of legal professionals are motivated to move to progress their careers but Solicitors, Paralegals and their colleagues in the sector are also the least secure in their jobs and most likely of all the regions to move because of office conflict.

The rate of movement in the legal sector in the Midlands is on a par with London. 34% of legal professionals are active in the job market and the Midlands logged the highest percentage of NQ Solicitors seeking new legal jobs. A higher percentage of lawyers relocated to the Midlands than any other region.

Job seeking activity amongst legal professionals based in the South West and South East of England is low with only 1 in 5 active on the job market. The area has the highest percentage of lawyers changing jobs because of working conditions than anywhere else.

Further in depth regional analysis can be found in our 2017 Salary and Benefits Benchmarker, the most credible piece of insight of its kind in the legal profession.

If you are a legal professional motivated to change jobs in 2017 then take a look at the latest legal jobs, contact your local team or ring us on 0333 5772585 (which will cost no more than a call to a landline) and we can direct you to the right person to speak to.