Recruitment Market Update - December slows as expected, but key practice areas stay active

December delivered the anticipated seasonal slowdown across the London legal recruitment market. That said, the market remained far from dormant and was very similar to December 2024 with 93 new roles posted.

Banking & Finance: Still Leading the Market

Banking & Finance remained the most active practice area in December, with 19 new roles coming to market. While slightly down on November’s 22 roles, this level of activity is notable given the time of year and reinforces Banking & Finance as the most active practice areas as we head into 2026.

Employment: A Strong Finish to the Year

Employment was again one of the brighter spots, recording 8 new roles. This represents another solid showing for this practice area which has consistently had more openings each month than you might expect.   

Real Estate: Holding a Core Presence

Real Estate continued to show stability, with 6 new roles in December, four of which were with large UK international firms with well-regarded real estate practices. 

Corporate: A Year-End Pause

Corporate hiring slowed further in December, with only 4 new roles recorded. This follows a slower November and is less than half of the average number of new roles each month in Q2 and Q3.  Will we see a surge of roles in January as we did last year?

Restructuring & Insolvency: A Temporary Lull

After a strong November, Restructuring & Insolvency dipped to 1 new role in December, although this is the same as the previous year.

Outlook

December’s figures reflect a market behaving exactly as expected for the final month of the year and mirror what happened in December 2024.  However, with 2025 having already delivered more new roles than 2024, the foundations appear firmly in place for a more active start to 2026 and we will wait to see how much of a pickup there is!

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Breakdown by Practice Areas

Transactional Roles:

At the beginning of January, 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:  46 roles (two being PSL roles) - seven with US firms, 34 with UK international/global firms and five with City/regional firm.  There were 19 new roles added to firms’ careers’ sites during December.

• Corporate:  22 roles - three with US firms, 12 with international firms and seven with City/regional firms. There were four new roles added to firms’ careers’ sites during December.

• Restructuring/Insolvency:  11 roles - four with US firms, four with UK international/global firms and three with City/regional firms). One of the roles was new, having been added to the firms’ careers’ site since the beginning of December.

Number of live London transactional roles advertised directly by firms

Advisory Practice areas:

At the beginning of January, 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: Eight roles (including one PSL role) - three with US firms, four with UK international firms and one with a City/Regional firm. Three new roles were added to firms’ careers’ sites during December.

• Employment - 33 roles (including one PSL role) - two with US firms, 10 with top tier international firms and 21 with City/regional firms. There were eight new roles added to firms’ careers’ sites during December.

• FS/Regulatory - Two roles - both with international firms. No new roles were added to firms’ careers’ sites during December.

• Incentives - Five roles.  Three with UK international firm and two with a City/regional firm.  Two new roles was added to firms’ careers sites during December.

• Funds - Seven roles (including one PSL role)  Two with US firms and five with international firms.  Two of the roles were new, having been added to the firms’ careers’ site since the beginning of December.

• Pensions - 10 roles (including two PSL roles) - Seven with international firms and three with City/regional firms.  Two of the roles were new, having been added to firms’ careers’ site since the beginning of December.

• Tax - 12 roles (including one tax litigation role) - two with US firms, nine with international firms and one with a regional/City firms. There were four new roles added to firms’ careers’ sites during December.

Number of live London Advisory roles advertised directly by firms

Litigation:

At the beginning of January, 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 - 17 roles (including one PSL). One with a US firms, eight with international firms and eight with regional/city boutiques). Six of the roles were new, having been added to the firms’ careers’ site since the beginning of December.

• Real Estate Litigation - Four roles - one with a international firm and three with City /Regional firms).  One of the roles was new, having been added to firms’ careers’ site since the beginning of December.

• Insurance Litigation - 15 roles. 12 with international firms and three with city/regional firms. Four of the roles were new, having been added to firms’ careers’ site since the beginning of December.

• Personal Injury (including clinical negligence) - Five roles.  Two with international firms, and three with City/Regional firms).  One of the roles was new, having been added to firms’ careers’ site since the beginning of December.

• Specialist Litigation - 11 roles - four with international firms and seven with city/regional firms.  Two of the roles were new, having been added to the firms’ careers’ site since the beginning of December.

Number of live London Litigation roles advertised directly by firms

Construction, Planning and Real Estate:

At the beginning of January, 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 – 15 roles (including one PSL role) - three with international firms, 12 with City/regional firms).  Two of the roles were new, having been added to the firms’ careers’ site since the beginning of December.

• Construction Litigation - nine roles.  Five with international firms and four with City/Regional firm).  Two of the roles were new since the beginning of December.

• Planning - Three roles.  Two with international firms and one with City/regional firms).  There were no new roles since the beginning of December.

• Commercial Real Estate - 16 roles (including two PSL roles). One with a US firms, eight with international firms and seven with City/regional firms).  Six of the roles were new, having been added to the firms’ careers’ site since the beginning of December.

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

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