Where are regional businesses struggling to hire lawyers?

The UK regional in-house legal market continues to evolve at pace. Over the last decade, businesses across Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds and other regional centres have invested heavily in legal capability, creating increasingly sophisticated legal functions outside London. 

While this growth has created exciting opportunities for lawyers, it has also intensified talent competition. Many employers are finding that hiring experienced in-house legal professionals is becoming more challenging, particularly where specialist expertise, commercial awareness and strong stakeholder management skills are required. 

For general counsel, heads of legal and hiring managers, understanding where these pressures exist and how candidate expectations are changing is the key to meeting the challenge.

A more competitive hiring landscape 

The growth of regional legal teams has changed the dynamics of legal recruitment. 

Many organisations are no longer looking solely for technically strong lawyers. They are seeking individuals who can operate as business partners, influence stakeholders and contribute to wider commercial objectives. 

As a result, demand is concentrating around candidates who combine legal expertise with strong commercial judgement. These lawyers are often highly sought after and typically have multiple opportunities available to them. 

In conversations with employers across the Midlands and the North, a common theme is that recruitment processes are taking longer than they did a few years ago. The difficulty is often not in identifying capable candidates, but attracting and securing them in a competitive market. 

Commercial contracts lawyers are in high demand

Few areas of the regional legal market generate more consistent demand than commercial contracts. 

Businesses across technology, professional services, manufacturing and financial services continue to seek lawyers who can negotiate contracts, manage risk and support commercial objectives. 

However, technical drafting skills alone are rarely enough. Employers now want lawyers who can provide pragmatic advice, build stakeholder relationships and understand the commercial implications of legal decisions. 

From a recruitment perspective, commercial contracts lawyers remain among the most frequently requested skillsets in the market. Their ability to operate across multiple business functions makes them particularly valuable, which inevitably creates competition for experienced talent. 

Regulatory and compliance expertise remains difficult to find

Demand for regulatory and compliance professionals has also remained strong. 

As organisations navigate ever more complex regulatory requirements, many are investing in governance, risk and compliance capability. This is particularly evident across financial services, healthcare, technology and infrastructure sectors. 

The challenge is that experienced regulatory lawyers possess highly transferable skills. Candidates with strong compliance or governance experience are often attractive to employers across multiple industries, limiting the available talent pool. 

Many organisations are looking for lawyers who can combine regulatory expertise with commercial judgement, further narrowing an already small talent pool.

Sector specific experience commands a premium

In some areas of the market, demand is being driven by sector expertise rather than legal discipline. Rapid transformation of business priorities, such as the increasing investment in data centres, is shifting emphasis to these specialisms. 

Energy, infrastructure and construction businesses are thus seeking lawyers with experience of complex projects, procurement arrangements and industry-specific regulatory frameworks.  

Developing this level of expertise takes time, meaning supply often struggles to keep pace with demand. As a result, employers frequently compete for a relatively small number of candidates who understand both the legal and commercial realities of these sectors. 

For organisations operating within these markets, attracting experienced lawyers therefore requires a compelling proposition that extends beyond compensation. 

Why salary is no longer enough 

Historically, employers facing recruitment challenges often focused on salary as the primary solution. 

While remuneration remains important, candidate priorities have broadened considerably. 

Lawyers are considering factors such as flexibility, career progression, organisational culture and leadership quality when evaluating opportunities. Many also want clearer visibility over their long-term career prospects and the opportunity to contribute to commercial decision-making, rather than operating solely as technical advisers.

Employers relying exclusively on salary to attract talent may therefore find themselves at a disadvantage. 

The importance of employer brand

A strong employer brand is one of the key differentiators. 

Candidates are conducting more research than ever before, seeking to understand an organisation’s culture, leadership team and reputation before making career decisions.

Many lawyers want to know how the legal function is viewed within the business and whether there are genuine opportunities for growth and development. They are also looking for evidence that leadership invests in people and supports long-term career progression. In our 2026 global in-house legal report and salary guide, over 25% of respondents to the survey ranked “career progression and development” as their highest concern when considering a role. 

Organisations that can clearly articulate their culture, values and employee proposition are often better positioned to attract and retain legal talent. 

A challenge that is likely to continue

Competition for legal talent shows little sign of easing. 

Commercial contracts lawyers, regulatory specialists and candidates with sector specific expertise remain particularly sought after, while candidate expectations continue to evolve beyond salary alone. 

The organisations achieving the greatest hiring success are those that understand their market, communicate a compelling proposition and invest in long-term talent strategies. 

As regional legal teams continue to grow in size and influence, employers that adapt to these changing dynamics will be best placed to secure the in-house legal talent they need to support future growth and success.