North West - Legal Market Overview
Unsurprisingly, given the development and regeneration across the region, the private practice legal market in the North West remains exceptionally strong, with demand for excellent lawyers in the commercial disciplines at a notable all-time high. As a reflection of this buoyancy, a number of new entrants to the market are anticipated over the next twelve months.
The top and mid-tier firms in the region proudly boast of the quality of the work they handle, which is testament not only to the number of the UK’s top 100 companies situated in the region, but also to a growing trend for the national law firms to resource their national and international work from their regional offices. Manchester and Liverpool are home to a number of well-recognised legal brands, and the region is particularly acclaimed for its property, construction and projects teams.
Smaller and niche firms continue to perform well, with the broader, more general practices flourishing and specialists in areas such as private client and family seizing the chance to capitalise on the gaps left by the larger firms.
Legal salaries
Recruitment in the North West has been very active as the region has continued to attract new investment and development on a grand scale. This has had a broad, positive impact on the growing legal market both within the city centres and also on the outskirts and further afield in Cheshire and Lancashire.
The national firms are continuing to expand and are still attracting solicitors from the City, assisted by a growing recognition of the quality of work undertaken outside of London and by recent well-publicised salary raises. A solicitor in the North West can now expect an increased focus on salary as a means of retaining talent, and an increasing awareness of the need to prevent an exodus to London.
For further information on the legal market and job opportunities in the North West contact:
Sharan Kokri
T: 0161 638 9335
E: sharankokri@taylorroot.com