Employment Opportunities - Q2 review
Employment was one of the busiest practice areas during the second quarter of 2026. Although Employment partners account for just 3.9% of all London partners across the firms covered by the Rackle Legal Hiring Index, Employment vacancies represented 7.9% of all advertised associate and PSL opportunities during the quarter. In other words, Employment recruitment activity was approximately double what might be expected based purely on the size of the practice area.
Although Employment teams will support M&A transactions, they are a standalone practice area for many firms. The relatively high level of recruitment activity suggests that either firms are investing in Employment capability in anticipation of sustained demand, or that Employment lawyers are moving between firms and into in-house roles at a higher rate than many other practice areas. The reality is likely to be a combination of both. Whatever the underlying driver, the advertised market continues to provide a greater volume of opportunities than the size of the practice area alone would suggest.
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
46 Employment vacancies were active during the quarter.
21 new roles were advertised during Q2.
19 roles were filled or withdrawn during the quarter.
27 vacancies remained open entering Q3.
26 firms advertised at least one Employment role.
Recruitment Activity
Across the quarter, 46 Employment vacancies were active across the firms covered by the Rackle Legal Hiring Index. Twenty-six firms advertised at least one Employment role during Q2, with 21 new vacancies coming to market from 18 firms. The remaining 25 vacancies had already been live at the start of the quarter, demonstrating that much of the recruitment activity reflected hiring processes that were already underway.
During Q2, 19 vacancies were filled or withdrawn, while 27 remained open at the end of June, providing a substantial pipeline of opportunities entering the third quarter.
Vacancy Duration
The advertised market presented a mixed picture regarding vacancy duration.
Of the 27 roles carried into Q3:
14 had been advertised for three months or less.
5 had remained live for more than six months. Four of the five roles were all at the 5+ pqe level.
Most vacancies entering Q3 were relatively new, suggesting that recruitment activity remained active throughout the quarter. However, the presence of a number of long-running senior vacancies may indicate that some firms are recruiting on a rolling basis or are finding it challenging to recruit at the more senior level.
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:
17 roles were relevant for lawyers with between two and five years' PQE.
13 roles were focused exclusively on lawyers with more than five years' PQE.
There were also five Professional Support Lawyer (PSL) opportunities during the quarter. Three of these were new vacancies, while two remained open entering Q3.
Which Firms Were Recruiting?
Recruitment activity was spread across 26 firms. Of those firms:
12 were UK-headquartered international firms.
10 were City or regional firms.
4 were US firms.
Eighteen firms opened at least one new Employment vacancy during the quarter.
The Rackle View
Employment remained one of the strongest practice areas for recruitment during Q2. While Employment partners account for just 3.9% of the partner population across the firms covered by the Rackle Legal Hiring Index, the practice area generated 7.9% of all advertised associate and PSL opportunities.
Recruitment activity was spread across a broad range of firms, with 26 firms advertising Employment vacancies and 18 opening new roles during the quarter. Since the beginning of 2026 almost half of the firms covered by The Rackle Hiring index have advertised an Employment roles.
As in many other practice areas, employment opportunities remained concentrated on mid level and experienced lawyers. Newly qualified opportunities were limited, while the majority of vacancies targeted lawyers with between two and five years' PQE or more senior associates. There was a relatively high number of PSL vacancies compared to other practice areas.
Overall, Q2 was similar in the amount of activity shown in Q1 and presented a picture of a consistently active Employment recruitment market.
The analysis focuses on firms that advertise vacancies directly through their career’s pages. Some firms do not advertise vacancies through their career’s pages. Consequently, this report should be viewed as an analysis of the advertised Employment market, rather than the entirety of Employment recruitment in London.
Visit the Rackle Homepage for more information on the Rackle Legal Hiring Index
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