Thames Valley - Legal Market Overview
With its excellent transport links and closeness to London, the
‘Silicon Valley’ has attracted world-leading multinationals, including
Honda, Vodafone and Cisco Systems to name but three. Its ongoing growth
means that law firms continue to invest heavily in their Thames Valley
offices and those firms which also have London bases continue to
develop their practices in new specialisms as well as bolstering
existing expertise.
Reading and Oxford are home to the largest
number of highly regarded law firms, including several national
practices. The firms benefit greatly from the business conducted
locally, both technology-based and otherwise, although it would be
naïve to assume that only local work is handled by the major players.
Mainstream commercial work is supplemented with more specialised areas,
including biotech and media, reflecting the diversity of businesses
operating out of the area.
Legal salaries
Salaries in the region remain some of the highest in the country outside London. The region's proximity to the capital means that a number of the large commercial firms offer packages close to, or on a par with, those offered in London, in an effort to both attract and retain the best candidates. The significant pay hikes enjoyed by some of London’s lawyers last year had a limited but notable impact on remuneration in the Thames Valley. In particular, the very large commercial firms that seek to attract City talent were forced to up their game to prevent themselves further falling behind in the salary stakes.For further information on the legal market and job opportunities in the Thames Valley contact:
Toria Walker
T: 020 7415 2828
E: toriawalker@taylorroot.com