London Legal Jobs Overview - 1st October 2025 (Private Practice)
- edobrien92
- Oct 1, 2025
- 5 min read
Legal Recruitment Market – Banking & Finance Holds Firm as Corporate Reawakens
After August’s relatively lively showing, September brought a step back in overall activity. A total of 113 new roles were posted across London’s legal market, down from 154 in August, but broadly in line with the monthly average of 112 during the first half of 2025. While the headline figure suggests stability rather than growth, the distribution of roles across practice areas told a more interesting story, with Corporate showing long-awaited signs of life and Banking & Finance continuing to lead the way.
Banking & Finance: Still Leading, but Slower Pace
After August’s standout performance, Banking & Finance remained the busiest practice area in September with 18 new roles. While down from last month’s 27, it still significantly outpaced other practice areas.
Corporate: Signs of Life at Last
Corporate, which had been notably quiet earlier in the year, registered 13 new roles in September making it the second most active practice area. It was the highest number of new roles in a month since January 2025.
Real Estate: Cooling After August’s Peak
Real Estate saw nine new roles in September, down from August’s record 16. While this represents a slowdown, activity remains more active in the second half of the year than it was in the first half.
Litigation: Patchy Performance
September brought a modest improvement for general Commercial Litigation, which recorded 9 new roles — a welcome lift compared to August’s flat month and above the six-month average earlier in the year. The picture was more uneven in specialist areas: Insurance Litigation added only 4 new roles.
Employment: Bouncing Back
After a sharp dip in August, Employment saw 7 new openings in September. While still below the average of the first half of 2025, this rebound may show that the market has not fully cooled for Employment lawyers.
Restructuring & Insolvency: Holding Firm
Restructuring & Insolvency posted 5 new roles in September, following August’s surge of 7. In the first half of the year their was on average only 1-2 new restructuring/insolvency roles posted each month so this uptick to 5 suggests this is an area that is getting busier.
Outlook: Recovery, but Uneven
September showed encouraging signs of recovery across Corporate, alongside continued demand in Banking & Finance, Restructuring, and specialist practice areas. However, the cooling of Real Estate after August’s peak underline how uneven the market remains.
As we move into Q4, we will wait to see if more new Corporate and Banking roles emerge. If the growth in these roles continues then this is likely to indicate that firms are more optimistic for future levels of work and their need to recruit may be picking up.
Breakdown by Practice Areas
Transactional Roles:
At the beginning of October, we identified the following number of London based legal jobs that were being advertised by law firms on their careers’ pages in the below practice areas:
Banking & Finance: 48 roles (two being a PSL roles) - eight with US firms, 36 with UK international/global firms and five with City/regional firm. There were 18 new roles added to firms’ careers’ sites during September.
Corporate: 31 roles (six being PSL roles) - nine with US firms, 15 with international firms and eight with City/regional firms. There were 13 new roles added to firms’ careers’ sites during September.
Restructuring/Insolvency: 14 roles (one being a PSL role) - two with US firms, six with UK international/global firms and six with City/regional firms). Five of the roles were new, having been added to the firms’ careers’ site since the beginning of September.
Advisory Practice areas:
At the beginning of October, we identified the following number of London based legal jobs being advertised by law firms on their careers’ pages in the below practice areas:
Antitrust/EU/Competition: Two roles - one with a US firm and one with a UK international firm. No new roles were added to firms’ careers’ sites during September.
Employment - 27 roles (including one PSL role) - two with US firms, 11 with top tier international firms and 14 with City/regional firms. There were three new roles added to firms’ careers’ sites during September.
FS/Regulatory - Eight roles - two with US firms, five with international firms and one with a City/Regional firms. There were two new roles added to firms’ careers’ sites during September.
Incentives - Three roles. Two with UK international firm and one with a City/regional firm. No new roles were added to firms’ careers sites during September.
Funds - Three roles. One with a US firm and two with international firms. One of the roles was new, having been added to the firms’ careers’ site since the beginning of September.
Pensions - 11 roles (including two PSL roles) - seven with international firms and four with City/regional firms. Three of the roles were new, having been added to a firms’ careers’ site since the beginning of September.
Tax - 12 roles (including one tax litigation and one PSL role) - one with US firms, eight with international firms and three with regional/City firms. There were no new roles added to firms’ careers’ sites during September.
Litigation:
At the beginning of October, we identified the following number of London based legal jobs being advertised by law firms on their careers’ pages in the below practice areas:
Commercial Litigation - 20 roles (including two PSL roles). One with US firms, ten with international firms, nine with regional/city boutiques). Nine of the roles were new, having been added to the firms’ careers’ site since the beginning of September.
Real Estate Litigation - Seven roles. One with an international firm and six with City /Regional firms). Twp of the roles were new, having been added to firms’ careers’ site since the beginning of September.
Insurance Litigation - Nine roles. Seven with international firms and two with city/regional firms. Two of the roles were new, having been added to firms’ careers’ site since the beginning of September.
Personal Injury (including clinical negligence) - 10 roles. Seven with international firms, three with City/Regional firms). Three of the roles were new, having been added to firms’ careers’ site since the beginning of September.
Specialist Litigation - Seven roles - one with an international firm and six with city/regional firms. Two of the roles were new, having been added to the firms’ careers’ site since the beginning of September.
Construction, Planning and Real Estate:
At the beginning of October, we identified the following number of London based legal jobs being advertised by law firms on their careers’ pages in the below practice areas:
Construction – 25 roles (including one PSL role). One with a US firm, seven with international firms, 17 with City/regional firms). Five of the roles were new, having been added to the firms’ careers’ site since the beginning of September.
Construction Litigation - Six roles. Four with international firms and two with City/Regional firm). None of the roles were new since the beginning of September.
Planning - Seven roles. Two with international firms and five with City/regional firms). Three of the roles was new, having been added to a firms’ careers’ site since the beginning of September.
Commercial Real Estate - 24 roles (including two PSL roles) - two with US firms, 13 with international firms and nine with City/regional firms). Nine of the roles were new, having been added to the firms’ careers’ site since the beginning of September.
To see which firms are advertising roles and explore these opportunities use the job search feature on www.therackle.com
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