Practice in the regions

In the first half of 2013 we have seen a huge increase in regional opportunities for real estate, corporate, banking and commercial lawyers. The demand has generally been at 1-4 years PQE and most, but not all, opportunities have been with the larger national law firms. There has also been an increase in demand for construction and projects lawyers.

In the regions we have seen a large number of firms adopting the Alternative Business Structure (ABS) model which has presented opportunities for lawyers at all levels and paralegals. The target market for the ABS firms has been the SME market and individuals and they are typically providing fixed prices for clients.

In the second half of 2013 we predict a continued demand for property, construction, commercial, corporate and banking as the economy grows. We also expect the number of vacancies across most regions to increase as work flow and deal flow continues to be strong – and with candidates being more receptive to move jobs, this means firms will need to replace.