Overview of London Inhouse Market

London In-House – Solid November Hiring Continues Autumn Stability

The London in-house legal job market maintained steady momentum in November, with 227 new roles advertised directly by companies on LinkedIn. While marginally below September’s rebound, the figure represents a stable level of activity as the market moves into the final month of 2025.

Despite broader economic uncertainty, the composition of November’s hiring illustrates a consistent underlying demand for in-house lawyers across both corporates and financial services, with technology remaining a central engine of growth.

Headline Breakdown: Commerce & Industry Strengthens Its Dominance

November’s numbers show a familiar pattern across the three headline groups:

• Commerce & Industry: 128 roles (56%) – continuing to lead the market and providing more than half of all new opportunities.

• Financial Services: 83 roles (37%) – a strong month, reflecting ongoing requirements across banking, fintech, insurance, and asset management.

• Government & Not-for-Profit: 16 roles (7%) – broadly in line with recent months.

Chart of new London inhouse roles advertised directly by organisations on LinkedIn

Sector Leaders: Technology Leads Again, Media & Entertainment Surges

Two sectors clearly stood out in November:

• Technology: 45 roles

  Tech once again generated the highest number of new legal roles, cementing its position as one of the most reliable sources of in-house hiring. Digital transformation projects, platform expansion, AI integration, and ongoing investment in product development are contributing to the needs in this sector.   

  
  

• Sports, Media & Entertainment: 28 roles

  One of the strongest contributors of the month, this sector posted one of its highest totals of 2025. Growth across streaming, content production, gaming, and major sporting organisations continues to translate into elevated legal hiring.

Other Sector highlights:

Financial services hiring remained robust overall, continuing to drive nearly two-fifths of all new in-house opportunities.

• Fintech, Crypto & Payments: 27 roles – another strong showing underscoring the momentum in digital finance.

• Banking: 25 roles – steady recruitment across established financial institutions.

• Insurance: 14 roles – maintaining a stable level following stronger activity earlier in the autumn.

• Asset Management: 14 roles – moderate but solid hiring across investment managers and asset owners.

  
  

As well as sports, media & entertainment a range of C&I sectors contributed meaningfully to November’s total, the stand out areas were:

• Retail & Consumer Goods: 11 roles – steady demand heading into the peak trading season.

• Real Estate & Construction: 11 roles – consistent activity as development and infrastructure projects continue.

• Energy & Infrastructure: 14 roles – another strong month for the sector, reflecting increased investment in transition and renewables.

• Healthcare & Lifesciences: 9 roles – stable levels across pharma, biotech, and healthcare providers.

Chart of London inhouse roles (by sector) advertised by organisations directly on LinkedIn

November’s figures suggest a market that, while not accelerating, remains resilient and well-distributed across sectors. Technology and financial services continue to anchor in-house hiring, while corporates across multiple industries are sustaining a solid level of demand.

As the year draws to a close, the data points to a London in-house market that may have just avoided a significant slowdown, setting the stage for a potentially active start to 2026.

Stay updated on the latest In-house legal hiring trends by visiting www.therackle.com or following us on LinkedIn.