But lawyers are also less willing to trade off working from home, even if tempted by a big salary, according to James Lavan, executive director of recruitment agency Buchanan Law. And they have the bargaining power to hold on to these newly acquired benefits. The surge in demand for legal services during the coronavirus pandemic collided with a shift in attitudes and expectations among lawyers, Lavan said.
Lavan said that he knew there is an appetite among U.S. firms in London to return to a five-day in the office, but he added that “the problem is that it goes hand in hand with this real war for talent, and the difficulty of it.” Firms such as Latham & Watkins LLP and Kirkland & Ellis LLP are still attractive, but the pay scales at Milbank LLP and other similar outfits have surpassed them, he pointed out. “If you combine that with work-life balance considerations, I just think it would be too bitter a pill to swallow from a talent perspective,” Lavan added.
Tom Hanlon, director of Buchanan Law, added that the demand for talent is exceptionally high even though it is less of a buyer’s market. It is not likely to develop into a true buyer’s market anytime soon. “It’s a slightly lesser version of what we’ve seen in 2021 and 2022,” he said.
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