I am writing this from lockdown in Sydney so how the latest outbreak affects business confidence is an unknown. Most lawyers I am speaking to are still very bullish and aggressively hiring and see the current outbreak as an inconvenient but temporary hiccup. We have noticed a few start dates being postponed and interviews moved to zoom but otherwise it is business as usual.
The main changes from the January to March and April to June quarters are as follows:
- Biggest jumps in roles are regulatory and personal injury
- Double the number of family roles and close to double in employment roles
- 76 % increase in property roles
- 50% increase in insurance roles
- 47% increase in roles in Banking and Finance
- 25% increase in commercial litigation
- 12% increase in corporate roles
- 9% increase in tech roles
There was a slight decline in tax and insolvency roles.
The main levels of hiring were at associate level with a 42% increase in junior associate roles, 37% in mid-associate roles and 55% in senior associate roles.
Jason Elias
Founder and CEO of Elias Recruitment, a boutique legal recruitment consultancy that specialises in finding lawyers for law firms, NFPs, and corporate in-house teams.
JOBS INDEX Q4 2021
| Area Banking & Finance | Q3 FY21 38 | Q4 FY21 56 | % change 47% |
| Corporate / M&A | 58 | 65 | 12% |
| Employment | 21 | 41 | 95% |
| Family | 4 | 8 | 100% |
| In House | 39 | 50 | 28% |
| Insurance / Reinsurance | 22 | 33 | 50% |
| Litigation / Dispute Resolution | 40 | 50 | 25% |
| Real Estate | 37 | 65 | 75% |
| Regulatory | 9 | 22 | 144% |
| Personal Injury | 24 | 53 | 121% |
| Insolvency | 6 | 5 | -17% |
| Tax | 9 | 6 | -33% |
| Technology | 34 | 37 | 9% |
| TOTAL | 341 | 491 | 44% |
| Seniority | Q3 FY21 | Q4 FY21 | % change |
| Department / Div Head | 11 | 7 | -36% |
| Director / Partner | 2 | 4 | 100% |
| Graduate / Entry | 2 | 6 | 200% |
| Junior Associate / Manager | 52 | 74 | 42% |
| Mid Associate / Manager | 216 | 298 | 38% |
| Snr Associate / Manager | 142 | 220 | 55% |
Methodology: the Elias Legal Jobs Index is based from sample data extracted from Sydney and Melbourne law firm advertisements.
2 thoughts on “FY 21 wrap-up”
Great article Jason. Thanks for sharing your always valuable information on recruiting and talent acquisition in and outside the legal function. I love hearing about our seeming parallel universe down under! Cheers!
Thank you Bill! Cheers