Construction Opportunities - Q2 review
Construction was one of the more active specialist practice areas during the second quarter of 2026. While Construction partners account for just 3.4% of all London partners across the firms covered by the Rackle Legal Hiring Index, Construction vacancies represented 6.4% of all advertised associate and PSL opportunities during the quarter. In other words, Construction recruitment activity was almost twice what might be expected based purely on the size of the practice area.
Recruitment demand was broadly balanced between contentious and non-contentious work, with firms continuing to recruit across both Construction Litigation and non-contentious Construction teams. Although the overall number of advertised vacancies was lower compared to some larger practice areas, the level of recruitment relative to market size suggests that Construction lawyers are currently in demand.
This review is based on recruitment activity across the 80 law firms that form the basis of the Rackle Legal Hiring Index. These firms comprise UK international, US and City/regional firms that consistently accounted for around 80% of the associate and PSL roles advertised directly in the London market, allowing meaningful trends to be identified.
The report examines the firms recruiting during the quarter, the vacancies they advertised and how those opportunities evolved between April and June.
Executive Summary:
37 Construction vacancies were active during the quarter.
12 new roles were advertised during Q2.
13 roles were filled or withdrawn during the quarter.
24 vacancies remained open entering Q3.
23 firms advertised at least one Construction role.
Recruitment Activity:
Across the quarter, 37 Construction vacancies were active across the firms covered by the Rackle Legal Hiring Index. Twenty-three firms advertised at least one Construction role during Q2, with 12 new vacancies coming to market from 10 firms. The remaining 25 vacancies had already been live at the start of the quarter, demonstrating that a significant proportion of recruitment activity reflected hiring processes that were already underway.
During Q2, 13 vacancies were filled or withdrawn, while 24 remained open at the end of June, providing a substantial pipeline of opportunities entering the third quarter.
Where Firms Were Hiring:
Recruitment demand was almost evenly divided between contentious and non-contentious work.
Of the 37 vacancies advertised:
20 related to Construction Litigation.
17 were for non-contentious Construction lawyers.
This balanced split suggests that lawyers with either contentious or non-contentious work are both in demand and could suggest that there is confidence in sustained levels of work for lawyers across the Construction sector.
Vacancy Duration
The advertised market presented a mixed picture regarding vacancy duration.
Of the 24 roles carried into Q3:
10 had been advertised for three months or less.
7 had remained live for more than six months.
While many vacancies were relatively new, the number of long-running opportunities suggests that some firms may either be recruiting on a rolling basis or amy be experiencing challenges recruiting Construction lawyers into particular roles.
Level of Opportunities:
As with many other practice areas, recruitment was concentrated towards experienced associates.
Only one vacancy was suitable for a newly qualified lawyer, and that role remained open entering Q3.
Demand was strongest for lawyers with established post-qualification experience:
15 roles targeted lawyers with between 2 and 5 years' PQE.
15 roles were focused exclusively on lawyers with more than five years' PQE.
There was also one Professional Support Lawyer (PSL) opportunity during the quarter.
Which Firms Were Recruiting?
Recruitment activity was spread across 23 firms. Of those firms:
14 were UK-headquartered international firms.
9 were City or regional firms.
The analysis focuses on firms that advertise vacancies directly through their careers pages. Some firms do not advertise any or all of their roles on their career pages. Consequently, this report should be viewed as an analysis of the advertised Construction market, rather than the entirety of Construction recruitment in London.
The Rackle View:
Although Construction partners represent just 3.4% of the partner population across the firms covered by the Rackle Legal Hiring Index, the practice area accounted for 6.4% of all advertised associate and PSL opportunities. This suggests firms are continuing to invest in Construction capability and may be looking to grow capability rather than just make replacement hires.
Demand remained well balanced between contentious and non-contentious work, indicating that recruitment was supported by activity across both disputes and transactional practices.
The market also continued to favour experienced lawyers. Opportunities for newly qualified lawyers remained extremely limited, while the majority of vacancies targeted lawyers with between two and five years' PQE or those with more senior experience.
Overall, Q2 presented a picture of a Construction recruitment market that remained consistently active. While modest in absolute size, the level of recruitment relative to the size of the practice area suggests Construction continues to be one of the most bouyant practice areas in the London market.
Visit the Rackle Homepage for more information on the Rackle Legal Hiring Index
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