Recruitment Market Update – April 2026 - An Inevitable Cooling

April recorded 96 new roles across the London legal recruitment market, a notable drop from March’s 146. This marks the first clear slowdown in hiring activity and suggests that the potentially more cautious sentiment we flagged at the beginning of April due to the events in the Middle East is seeping through and impacting hiring.

Below is a breakdown of activity across the key practice areas.

Banking & Finance: Still Active Despite Slight Softening

Banking & Finance recorded 14 new roles in April, down slightly from March’s 16. Despite the marginal dip, it remains one of the most consistently active areas in the market.

Whilst the roles were split across several different areas of finance, it was worth noting that almost 40% of the roles were real estate finance focused. 

Employment: Remains Busy but Eases Slightly

Employment saw 8 new roles in April, down from 11 in March. While this represents a slight slowdown, it still remains one of the more active practice areas overall.

Antitrust / EU / Competition: Sharp Drop-Off

After a spike of 7 new roles in March, Antitrust / EU / Competition saw just 1 new role in April.

Corporate: Continued Muted Activity

Corporate recorded 6 new roles in April, whilst this is similar to March it is well below the 15 new roles in January and the 11 new in February.  

As a barometer of market confidence, the continued softness in Corporate suggests firms are adopting a cautious stance amid concerns that developments in the Middle East could dampen M&A activity in 2026.

Insurance Litigation: A build up of roles needing to be filled

There were 13 new roles for lawyers with Insurance Litigation backgrounds, which is similar to the the number of new roles in February and March. But with only 8 roles being closed the number of open roles at the beginning of the month continues to climb. 

Real Estate: Still better than 2025

Real Estate saw 8 new roles in April.  This is below the 18 new roles that came onto the market in January but is an uptick on the 6 roles in March. 

Compared to 2025, there are still more active real estate roles available on the market in 2026.

Restructuring & Insolvency: Holding Firm

Restructuring & Insolvency recorded 5 new roles, consistent with March and maintaining the recent increase in activity.

Overview

April’s total of 96 new roles represents a clear slowdown following a strong first quarter. While hiring levels remain broadly ahead of 2025, the shift in momentum suggests that firms are reassessing their position.

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Breakdown by Practice Areas

Transactional Roles:

At the beginning of May, 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 (three being PSL roles) - nine with US firms, 32 with UK international/global firms and seven with City/regional firm.  There were 14 new roles added to firms’ careers’ sites during April.

• Corporate:  20 roles (three being PSL roles) - four with US firms, 12 with international firms and four with City/regional firms. There were six new roles added to firms’ careers’ sites during April.

• Restructuring/Insolvency:  13 roles - two with US firms, six with UK international/global firms and five with City/regional firms). Five of the roles were new, having been added to the firms’ careers’ site since the beginning of April.

Number of live London transactional roles advertised directly by firms

Advisory Practice areas:

At the beginning of May, 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: Seven roles (including two competition litigation roles) - one with a US firms and six with UK international firms. One of the roles was new having been added to firms’ careers’ sites during April.

• Employment - 35 roles (including three PSL roles) - four with US firms, 12 with UK international firms and 19 with City/regional firms. There were eight new roles added to firms’ careers’ sites during April.

• FS/Regulatory - Six roles (including one PSL role) -  five with UK international firms and one with a city/regional firm. There was one new role added to a firms’ careers’ sites during April.

• Funds - Ten roles (including one PSL role)  Three with US firms and seven with international firms.   Four of the roles were new, having been added to the firms’ careers’ site since the beginning of April.

• Incentives - Six roles.  Two with US firms and four with UK international firms. There were four new roles added to firms’ careers’ sites during April.

• Pensions - 11 roles (including two PSL roles) - Six with international firms and five with City/regional firms.  There were no new roles added to firms’ careers’ site during April.

• Tax - 16 roles (including one tax litigation role and one PSL roles) - two with US firms, eight with international firms and five with regional/City firms. There was one new role added to a firms’ careers’ sites during April.

Number of live London Advisory roles advertised directly by firms

Litigation:

At the beginning of May, 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). Two with US firms, 12 with international firms and six with regional/city boutiques). Seven of the roles were new, having been added to the firms’ careers’ site since the beginning of April.

• Real Estate Litigation - four roles - all with City /Regional firms.  None of the roles were new since the beginning of April.

• Insurance Litigation - 23 roles. 18 with international firms and five with city/regional firms. 10 of the roles were new, having been added to firms’ careers’ site since the beginning of April.

• Personal Injury (including defendant PI and clinical negligence) - 11 roles.  Eight with international firms, and three with City/Regional firms).  Three of the roles were new, having been added to firms’ careers’ site since the beginning of April.

• Specialist Litigation - 19 roles - seven with international firms and 12 with city/regional firms.  Three of the roles were new, having been added to the firms’ careers’ site since the beginning of April.

Number of live London Litigation roles advertised directly by firms

Construction, Planning and Real Estate:

At the beginning of May, 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 – 17 roles, seven with international firms, 12 with City/regional firms).  One of the roles was new, having been added to the firms’ careers’ site since the beginning of April.

• Construction Litigation - 16 roles.  Seven with international firms and nine with City/Regional firm).  Four of the roles were new since the beginning of April.

• Planning - Five roles.  Three with international firms and two with City/regional firms).  Two of the roles were new since the beginning of April.

• Commercial Real Estate - 20 roles (including two PSL roles). One with a US firms, eight with international firms and 11 with City/regional firms).  Eight of the roles were new, having been added to the firms’ careers’ site since the beginning of April.

Number of live London Construction, Planning and Real Estate roles advertised directly by firms

If you are interested in an objective view of what is happening within your specific practice area visit www.therackle.com and contact us to see how we can help.