What is the current status of the Brisbane legal market? Areas in demand are employment, commercial litigation and insolvency, restructuring, family law and there are pockets of activity in general commercial law and certain areas of insurance.
While the majority of top-tier firms and a number of mid-tier firms have put recruitment on hold, a number of mid-tier firms and boutique law firms are using this market as an opportunity to secure great talent where possible. The roles that firms currently have available and are recruiting for are considered critical hires which offers lawyers moving into these roles, some level of certainty and comfort. A lot of lawyers are understandably staying put for now and are waiting to see what the market brings in the coming weeks.
Working from home is the new normal for many, however a number firms have returned to the office or are splitting employees 50/50 between the office and working from home, depending on the size of the office space. In terms of the recruitment process, several firms have stepped up to the plate and have conducted skype or zoom video interviews, along with remote onboarding, once a lawyer commences with the firm.
For junior and mid-level solicitors, we have found many differing perspectives on the current state of play in their firms. Some lawyers feel their firm has equipped them well in terms of technology which has enabled them to make the transition to a move agile working environment. We have heard of some redundancies in certain practice areas, a key fall out from the current situation is salary cuts for lawyers at various levels and partners taking cuts from their drawings, some up to 50%.
If you are a senior practitioner with a client following, there are multiple firms interested in speaking to you. Know your worth in the market and if your firm hasn’t looked after you or has forced you to take a salary cut, despite your work load increasing, feel free to get in touch for a confidential chat on your options. For Associates and Senior Associates, we are available to discuss this market summary further and hope you are doing well in this challenging time.