By Jon Howard
Today, culture and flexibility carry as much weight as salary when lawyers decide where to join or whether to stay. What began as a response to the pandemic has settled into something more lasting, reshaping how firms compete for talent.
From pay to the overall offer
One of the clearest signs of change is in retention. Lawyers are less willing to remain in roles purely for financial reasons. Flexibility, especially control over when and how they work, has become a leading factor.
Pay still matters. But it has become a baseline rather than a differentiator. Competitive salaries are expected; they are no longer enough on their own.
Instead, lawyers are asking broader questions. How is work allocated? How accessible are partners? Is progression clear? And is flexibility genuine, or just part of the pitch?
For firms, hiring has become more complex.
A genuinely candidate-led market
Legal recruitment has often been described as candidate-led. Now, it more clearly is.
There remains a shortage of experienced lawyers in key areas, and lateral movement is high. Candidates have more choice and are exercising it. Increasingly, they are choosing not just between firms, but between ways of working. In that context, a firm offering slightly lower pay but greater clarity or flexibility can prevail over a higher-paying rival.
What culture means in practice
Culture is still widely discussed, but candidates are looking for something more concrete than broad descriptions. They want to know what their day-to-day experience will be. Will they receive proper mentoring? Are promotion criteria clear? Is feedback regular? How predictable is the workload?
Culture is less about what firms say and more about what they do. Firms that can show this, through structured development, clear processes and consistent management, are better placed to attract talent.
Flexibility. Expected, not optional
Flexible working has followed a similar path. What was once a differentiator is now an expectation.
Most firms offer hybrid working. The difference lies in how it operates in practice. Candidates are increasingly wary of policies that appear flexible but are not applied consistently.
Clear expectations tend to carry more weight than vague promises. Firms that set out how flexibility works, and stick to it, are often more attractive.
A generational shift
Part of the change is generational. Younger lawyers tend to place greater value on balance and sustainability. They are less willing to trade personal time for incremental increases in pay. As they progress, those expectations are becoming more influential across the profession.
How firms are responding
Some firms are adapting by making more structural changes. These include clearer flexible working policies, more transparent career paths and greater investment in management and leadership.
There is also a shift towards greater honesty in recruitment, setting out more clearly what working at the firm involves.
Where firms are falling short
Not all firms have kept pace. Some continue to rely on higher salaries to compensate for shortcomings elsewhere. Others promote flexibility without fully delivering it in practice.
In many cases, the role of partners remains central. Policies may be set at firm level, but day-to-day experience depends on how individuals behave. Where that is inconsistent, candidates notice.
A more divided market
The result is a more divided market. Some firms continue to compete primarily on pay and intensity. Others are focusing on flexibility and sustainability.
Between them are firms trying to balance both, not always clearly.
Contact us
jon.howard@wearebuchanan.com