Legal Market Latest Insights

Legal Market Insights: Trends and Opportunities in Legal Recruitment 

As we navigate through a dynamic period in the legal sector, Hunter Savage is committed to providing the latest insights to help legal professionals and firms make informed decisions. Our Director, Cailim Boyle, brings extensive experience and deep understanding of both the challenges and opportunities in the legal market across the Island of Ireland, GB and internationally.

Key Market Trends:

Gender Diversity: The legal profession shows a healthy gender diversity with a split of 59% female to 41% male in solicitor roles across the Island of Ireland, however there is still a higher percentage of males in senior positions leaving an imbalance. The average duration in these roles is close to 3 years, underscoring a stable employment environment amidst high hiring demand.

Global Mobility and Return: While we have seen talent migrate to international locations like Australia, the USA, and Canada, as well as many move to London, there is a significant number of returnees. Many find that the opportunities back home are just as rich, contributing to a robust legal market in Ireland.

Sectoral Shifts: There has been a noticeable increase in in-house legal roles over the past year, particularly within sectors such as financial services, insurance, and utilities. This shift indicates a diversifying landscape where legal professionals have more avenues than ever to explore career growth.

Continued Areas of Demand:
- Corporate Law: Significant growth in Corporate roles at the mid/senior level with a strong transactional pipeline.

- Real Estate: Variance in performance among teams, with some firms experiencing growth since the start of the year.

- Environmental and Energy Law: Increasing importance placed on these specialisations within law firms.

- Specialist Litigation: High demand for experts in Cyber/Data/Patents and niche insurance litigation areas like Financial Lines.

- Partner-Level Hiring: A rising trend, suggesting that now is a prime time for senior lawyers to seek new opportunities.

Whether you’re looking to advance in your current path or considering a strategic career move, the Hunter Savage Legal Recruitment Team is here to support you with expert advice and access to top opportunities.

If you’re interested in discussing the current market or exploring potential roles, please reach out to Cailim Boyle via contact details below or a member of the Legal Recruitment Team for a confidential discussion.

Tel: 0852505301
Email: cailim@huntersavage.com