“The legal industry is experiencing a talent shortage, with firms competing for skilled lawyers and staff. This is exacerbated by factors like burnout, work-life balance demands, and lawyers leaving the profession. With each lost associate representing an estimated $1 million loss, stemming the tide of attrition is key”
So starts the recent report from BigHand into the legal profession.
This month: The huge drain on talent
The other most striking fact that you may have seen from the report is that associates (junior and senior) were leaving at rate of 9% in 2024. In quarter one of 2025 that had gone up to 16% and 17% respectively.
That is a huge drain on new legal talent. Couple that with the trend for people to retire early since covid, and the market is being squeezed from each end. The report goes on to say that the top reasons for leaving were given as issues of professional development (26%) and issues of salary (23%) – this was particularly noted among senior associates. I have written before about the salary bunching and senior associates are perhaps the ones who suffer the most when juniors come in on large salaries that they themselves had to work years to achieve. Also stated were hybrid working (22%) and work/life balance (20%).
Never has getting hiring right been more important, and never has it been so important to look after existing staff in order to retain them. Arguably also the ‘demands’ of people are relatively ordinary, career progression, salary, hybrid working and work life balance are not rocket science, but really do matter. If you don’t have those things where you are then let’s talk as there are options out there that do!
We are holding an online event on the 9th October titled:
Law Firms: Recruitment Won’t Solve Your Problems!
Is your law firm struggling with recruitment and retention?
Do these thoughts sound familiar?
• “We’re so busy—we need to recruit!”
• “We’ve advertised for months but can’t find the right people.”
• “Our best people leave after a few years, disrupting succession planning.”
• “What do people want from a law firm these days?”
Join Mark Brandon and Clara Rose for a candid conversation about the real issues behind recruitment challenges in law firms. This session will explore:
- Why traditional recruitment strategies often fall short
- What deeper issues may be affecting your firm’s ability to retain talent
- Practical steps to build a sustainable, people-focused culture
Mark Brandon brings over 30 years of experience in the legal market—as a journalist, recruiter, strategy consultant, and coach.
If you feel that your HR department or anyone in your firm could benefit from this then please do pass it on. Book via Eventbrite
