Skills gaps and salary hikes—a snapshot of the legal jobs market

Employers are responding by training current employees into a new position or hiring legal professionals without the necessary skills with the intention of upskilling them, according to recruiter Hays’ UK 2023 Salary and Recruiting Trends guide, which received more than 350 responses. 

More than a third of employers said they are looking to hire apprentices. Salaries are rising across the sector, with 85% of employers increasing pay in the past 12 months.

The average increase was 7.4% (above the UK average of 5.4%) although some increases were significantly higher. Salaries for newly qualified solicitors in private practice rose 14.6% on average, while one year’s PQE rose 12.3% and general counsel/head of legal rose 8.7%.

Employees themselves are restless—60% plan to switch jobs in the next year. The reasons given include a desire for greater flexibility (59%), career progression (34%) and lack of skills development opportunities (26%).

Potential recruits tend to place a high value on sustainability. Three-quarters rated this important when choosing a prospective employer.

Yvonne Smyth, director at Hays specialising in legal, said: ‘While pay remains a key driver for employee movement within the legal profession, opportunities for career progression and development often tip the balance between whether an individual chooses one role over another.

‘Legal professionals also prioritise an alignment of purpose and values when contemplating who they want to work for. Organisations must take each of these factors into account to attract and retain staff; stand out against competition; and ultimately succeed during a time of increased volatility.’