Why Employment Solicitor Recruitment Is Thriving in the Regions
The demand for employment solicitors across the UK’s regional legal markets is rising — fast. From Manchester to Leeds, Sheffield to Birmingham, firms are scaling up their employment law teams in response to one of the most active and evolving periods the sector has seen in years.
So, what’s behind the surge — and what should lawyers know about it?
Firms Are Investing in Employment Law as a Growth Area
Employment law is no longer seen as supporting function of a corporate team. It’s a strategic practice area. Clients expect regular, commercial advice — and firms are responding by:
- Expanding employment teams
- Developing specialist sub-practice areas (e.g., employee relations, HR training, splitting contentious and non-contentious)
- Promoting lawyers into client-facing roles faster than ever
This investment is creating new opportunities for lawyers looking to take ownership of their work and accelerate their careers — particularly in regional practices where visibility and client access tend to come earlier.
Vacancy Trends Reflect Real, Sustained Demand
Recent data shows a sharp rise in employment solicitor vacancies across regional firms, especially at the 2–6 PQE level. Some firms are doubling team headcount to meet client needs. There’s also strong demand for:
- NQ solicitors with exposure to contentious and advisory work
- Mid-level lawyers with TUPE, redundancy or tribunal experience
- Senior hires with leadership potential and client development skills
Recruitment is being driven by growth due to the ever-changing Employment law landscape so many firms are open to flexible working arrangements and offering enhanced benefits such as bonuses in order to attract the best talent.
What This Means for Your Career
It means your skillset is in demand and from the data this busyness isn’t a blip. Since 2020, we’ve since continued busyness in the Employment recruitment market and there doesn’t seem to be any signs of this slowing down.
Whilst this is all positive news, the sustained busyness has meant for the last few years it’s been a really popular area to qualify into and this has meant in some regions, NQ / junior roles have been incredibly competitive.
With that in mind, it’s really important to ensure your CV and experience stands out from the crowd and you’re in a team that is truly developing your skills and giving you the best exposure.
Final Thoughts
The market is active, and can often come in waves. The opportunities are real, and regional firms are ready to invest in talent that’s forward-thinking, commercially minded, and ready to grow.
Want to explore what’s out there? We’d be happy to talk through the market and where you could add the most value. Contact Amy Barker – amy@barkerlegalrecruitment.com
