Articles From the Team
London - Corporate trends
It is inherent in the nature of being a legal recruiter that we are avid fans and followers of the legal and business press. Trends both within the corporate and finance markets translate (if not immediately in due course) directly to what is seen on the ground within corporate teams. London often provides the first litmus test with the ripples then felt out into the region.
The London corporate market is known for its strength, depth and reach of its corporate capability, able to provide highly technical and niche advice across a number of sectors from real estate, oil, gas and energy to private equity, capital markets and company listings and of course, the bread and butter work of M&A.
Despite the strength and depth, London could not escape the fall out of the financial crisis and whilst it is evident to all that the markets are now much improved, investor confidence is heightened and the desire to do deals is now back on the agenda, it remains that there is still an unfortunate legacy born from those darker days.
As will be clear from a short example of some of the roles that we are acting on below, the demand for corporate lawyers, particular so at the 2-5 year PQE level, is at an all time high. Great news of course but that desire comes from the need to ensure adequate and balanced resource within corporate teams for two principal reasons. Firstly, to ensure that there are sufficient resources to do the increasing level of work - this of course pays the bills and provides the platform for growth. Secondly and arguably most importantly, it ensures that the lawyers have the right blend of people at suitable levels to ensure that everybody is doing the work that their level of experience demands and also it ensures that nobody is having to do so much that they become disgruntled, over-worked and consequently feel under-valued and seek to move on.
Below are some recent examples of roles that we have been working on which represent only a small proportion of active roles in the market:
https://www.bcllegal.com/job/17221
https://www.bcllegal.com/job/17207
https://www.bcllegal.com/job/17096
Sadly there is far too much of the latter albeit that the lawyers feeling that pinch are themselves in relatively short supply. Depending on who you are - and I am looking at you - the 2-4 year corporate lawyer, this is a positive thing.
The corporate markets have had to evolve both to meet their clients needs but also to respond to the changing legal landscape. For those that sit neatly in that "in demand" zone, this is the market that can provide you the right blend of all the things you are looking for. Opportunities abound from those that are seeking the very best technical work, overseas and international and global experiences to those that just want to feel valued and part of a team to those that just want to make as much money as humanly possible!
As one of the UK's leading legal recruiters and with additional experience of working within the law (in my case, 9 years in restructuring), we are uniquely placed to understand what is important to you and how and where you can best achieve your goals.
If you are a corporate lawyer with a desire to find what you are looking for (or even a desire to understand what you could be looking for) then please call Paul Warburton or visit our website BCL Legal.