Real Estate Opportunities - Q2 review

Real Estate recorded the seventh-highest number of advertised vacancies during the second quarter of 2026. Focused on Commercial Real Estate, firms sought lawyers across a broad range of experience levels, although demand was concentrated on associates with between two and five years' PQE.

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 account for around 80% of the associate and PSL roles advertised directly in the London market, allowing meaningful recruitment 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:

• 31 Real Estate vacancies were active during the quarter.

• 16 new roles were advertised during Q2.

• 16 roles were filled or withdrawn during the quarter.

• 15 vacancies remained open entering Q3.

• 20 firms advertised at least one Commercial Real Estate role.

Recruitment Activity

Across the quarter, 31 Real Estate vacancies were active across the firms covered by the Rackle Legal Hiring Index. Twenty firms advertised at least one Real Estate opportunity during Q2, with 16 new vacancies being opened by 12 firms. A further 15 vacancies had already been live at the beginning of the quarter, reflecting ongoing recruitment activity from firms that had entered the market earlier in the year.

During Q2, 16 vacancies were filled or withdrawn, while 15 remained open at the end of June, providing a continuing pipeline of opportunities entering the third quarter.

Overall, the data suggests that firms maintained recruitment activity throughout the quarter, with new opportunities broadly offsetting positions that were successfully filled.

Vacancy Duration

Most vacancies entering Q3 had only recently been advertised.

Of the 15 roles carried into the third quarter:

• 13 had been advertised for three months or less.

• Only 2 had remained live for six months or longer.

  
  

This suggests that firms were generally able to recruit into Real Estate vacancies within a relatively short period, with comparatively few roles remaining persistently difficult to fill.

Level of Opportunities:

The advertised market continued to favour mid-level associates.

Three vacancies were suitable for newly qualified lawyers, although only one of these remained available entering Q3.

The strongest area of recruitment was for lawyers with between two and five years' PQE, accounting for over two-thirds of all advertised opportunities. A further five roles were targeted specifically at lawyers with five or more years' post-qualification experience.

There were also two Professional Support Lawyer opportunities during the quarter.

Which Firms Were Recruiting?

Recruitment activity was spread across 20 firms during Q2. Of those firms:

• 12 were UK-headquartered international firms.

• 7 were City or national firms.

• 1 was a US firm.

Twelve firms opened at least one new Real Estate vacancy during the quarter.

The Rackle View

The advertised Real Estate market remained active compared to 2025 but was more subdued in Q2 2026, compared to Q1 2026.

Demand was strongest for associates with between two and five years' PQE, continuing the pattern seen across several other transactional practice areas. Advertised opportunities for newly qualified lawyers were limited, while senior opportunities were also limited but available.

Vacancy duration provides a positive indication of market conditions. The overwhelming majority of vacancies carried into Q3 had been advertised for less than three months, suggesting firms were generally able to recruit successfully once opportunities reached the market.

Visit the Rackle Homepage for more information on the Rackle Legal Hiring Index