Are Lawyers Re-Evaluating the Importance of Reaching Partnership Level?

"WFH” was an unknown acronym prior to the Covid-19 Pandemic but since then, “Work From Home” has become an implied benefit into most contracts of employment.

The legal sector, much like all other sectors, had to evaluate its stance on working from home following the aftermath of the Pandemic. In times gone by, it would be unheard of to have lawyers practicing from the comfort of their own home - in fact, it was public knowledge that being a lawyer (particularly in the City) meant trading the comforts of your home for the bureaucracy of the corporate office as the job demanded that “work” and “life” are to be used interchangeably.

However, since the Pandemic, there has been a significant change in attitudes towards recognising the importance of work-life balance. The Pandemic gave solicitors a chance to reassess their views on work-life balance and the importance they attribute to achieving a partnership position within a traditional firm.

The Law Society reported in December 2023 that the number of solicitors that have taken up in-house positions has been steadily increasing, with in-house practitioners making up 26% of the whole profession with an additional 3.9% employed outside of private practice.

Many firms remain stubborn in their approach and still demand a high office attendance rate, especially those firms based regionally and outside of the major cities, which is one of the most likely causes of solicitors taking in-house positions over traditional associate roles.

As our working habits have shifted away from the traditional 9 to 5 office schedule five days a week, law firms have had to adapt accordingly, which was once the norm for lawyers.

Some Law Firms have moved to a consultancy based type of employment, allowing for solicitors to have full control over their work-life balance as well as the level of remuneration received.

Salt Mountain Recruitment supports this move as it offers solicitors a bridge between in-house positions (which are generally more flexible) with a traditional practice area offered by law firms. Our candidates see consultant positions as an opportunity to work for themselves, from the comfort of their home, without the business risks that are associated with running a sole practice or small partnership structure.

In our ongoing instruction, Salt Mountain is looking to recruit solicitors who can work on a consultancy basis, with full control over their hours, work-life balance, remuneration and place of work. The full advert for this role can be viewed here: https://www.saltmountainrecruit.com/jobs/consultant-solicitor]

Conclusion

The legal industry has always been known for archaism and is at risk of significant decline should the statistics continue to prevail in favour of in-house practice.

Law firms should rethink their work-from-home policies to attract a wider pool of candidates who have prioritised work-life balance since the pandemic. For lawyers, exploring options like consultancy could be a way to continue providing legal services while staying closely connected to the industry.

We are confident that Firms, especially those regionally, are paying much more attention to the needs of employees and we look forward to seeing this matter develop.