London Legal Jobs Overview - 1st July 2025 (Private Practice)
- edobrien92
- Jul 1, 2025
- 5 min read
As we enter the second half of 2025, the London private practice legal market is showing limited signs of sustained improvement. June saw a slight dip in the number of new roles advertised directly by firms compared to May, indicating that hiring activity remains stagnant rather than gathering momentum.
While recruitment continues across many practice areas, the overall numbers suggest most hiring is to replace departing lawyers rather than expand teams. This is underscored by the fact that more roles closed than opened during June.
Corporate and Banking: Uptick Still Elusive
Corporate led again in June with 11 new roles, followed by Banking & Finance with 9. Despite this relative activity, monthly hiring volumes remain well below late 2024 averages, suggesting continued caution among firms perhaps due to uncertain deal pipelines.
Employment, Regulatory, and Tax: Steady Hiring
Employment remained active with 4 new roles, while Regulatory and Tax each recorded 5. These advisory areas continue to show resilience; the sustained level of new Employment vacancies possibly indicates that this may be one practice area that may be bucking the trend with some growth hiring. However considering the number of inhouse roles for employment lawyers, it may also be a reaction to higher than expected levels of attrition of lawyers from private practice to inhouse.
Litigation: Specialist Areas more active
Litigation hiring was mixed. Commercial Litigation and Insurance Litigation each recorded 6 new roles, whilst specialist Litigation also saw 6 new positions, boosted by several roles related to human-rights . Real Estate Litigation was also relatively active, with 5 new roles - an increase on earlier months.
Real Estate, Construction, and Planning: Stable but Cautious
Commercial Real Estate posted 9 new roles, the highest monthly total since January. Construction added 3 roles, continuing to show relative health, while Planning recorded 5 roles, reflecting steady but modest activity.
Outlook: Market Remains Static
With June’s numbers slightly lower than May’s, the private practice job market appears to be standing still. In the absence of a clear pickup in transaction volumes or market sentiment, we expect the volume of new roles to remain fairly consistent over the coming months. However, should there be a significant pick up in transactional work or an increased confidence of more transactional work in the near term then we could see a sudden rush of new roles.
Breakdown by Practice Areas
Transactional Roles:
At the beginning of July, we identified the following number of London based roles that were being advertised by law firms on their careers’ pages in the below practice areas:
Banking & Finance: 29 roles (five with US firms, 22 with UK international/global firms and two with City/regional firm). There were nine new roles added to firms’ careers’ sites during June.
Corporate: 30 roles (five being PSL roles) (five with US firms, 17 with international firms and eight with City/regional firms). There were 11 new roles added to firms’ careers’ sites during June.
Restructuring/Insolvency: Five roles (two with US firms, one with an international firm and two with City/regional firm). One of the roles was new, having been added to the firms’ careers’ site since the beginning of June.
Advisory Practice areas:
At the beginning of July, we identified the following number of London based roles being advertised by law firms on their careers’ pages in the below practice areas:
Antitrust/EU/Competition: Seven roles (including one competition litigation role). Four with US firms and three with international firms. There was one new roles added to firms’ careers’ sites during June.
Employment - 24 roles (including one PSL role). Nine with top tier international firms and 15 with City/regional firms. There were four new roles added to firms’ careers’ sites during June.
FS/Regulatory - Six roles. Four with international firms and two with City/Regional firms. There was one new role added to firms’ careers’ sites during June.
Incentives - Six roles. Four with UK international firm and two with a City/regional firm. There were two new roles added to firms’ careers’ sites during June.
Funds - Eight roles. One with US firms, six with international firms and one with a City firm. Five of the roles were new, having been added to the firms’ careers’ site since the beginning of June.
Pensions - 12 roles (including 2 PSL roles). One with a US firm, six with international firms and five with City/regional firms. Three of the roles were new, having been added to the firms’ careers’ site since the beginning of June.
Tax - 18 roles (including three tax litigation and one PSL role). Three with US firms, nine with international firms and six with regional/City firms. There were five new roles added to firms’ careers’ sites during June.
Litigation:
At the beginning of July, we identified the following number of London based roles being advertised by law firms on their careers’ pages in the below practice areas:
Commercial Litigation - 17 roles (including two PSL roles). Three with US firms, seven with international firms, seven with regional/city boutiques). Six of the roles were new, having been added to the firms’ careers’ site since the beginning of June.
Real Estate Litigation - 11 roles. Two with international firms and nine with City /Regional firms). Five of the roles were new, having been added to firms’ careers’ site since the beginning of June.
Insurance Litigation - 15 roles. 13 with international firms and two with regional firms. Six of the roles were new, having been added to firms’ careers’ site since the beginning of June.
Personal Injury (including clinical negligence) - 14 roles. Five with international firms, nine with City/Regional firms). Four of the roles were new, having ben added to firms’ careers’ site since the beginning of June.
Specialist Litigation - 12 roles. Three with international firms and nine with city boutiques. Six of the roles were new, having been added to the firms’ careers’ site since the beginning of June.
Construction, Planning and Real Estate:
At the beginning of July, we identified the following number of London based roles being advertised by law firms on their careers’ pages in the below practice areas:
Construction – 17 roles. One with a US firm, three with international firms, 13 with City/regional firms). Three of the roles were new, having been added to the firms’ careers’ site since the beginning of June.
Construction Litigation - Five roles. Four with international firms, one with a City/Regional firm). One of the roles was new, having been added to the firms’ careers’ site since the beginning of June.
Planning - Five roles. Three with international firms and two with City/regional firms). None of the roles were new.
Commercial Real Estate - 15 roles (including one PSL role). Eight with international firms and seven with City/regional firms). Nine of the roles were new, having been added to the firms’ careers’ site since the beginning of June.
To see which firms are advertising roles and explore these opportunities use the job search feature on www.therackle.com
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