What makes a lawyer choose one opportunity over another? And perhaps more importantly, what makes them stay? Salary will always play a role, but SEEK's Talent Attraction Lab 2026 data suggests lawyers want much more than an attractive pay packet, and understanding that matters for attracting and retaining talent.
Key takeaways
- Strong communication from management (68.8%) and respectful colleagues (66.7%) are the top must-haves, ahead of salary.
- Work-life balance is the most important employment driver at 36.8%, but flexibility must work in practice.
- Base salary is a must-have for 49.2%, yet salary alone rarely wins a candidate.
- 42.9% want skill development and coaching, and 42.9% want promotion opportunities.
- Money-only counteroffers often fail to keep someone who has already decided to leave.
Key findings at a glance: what lawyers must have
Here is how the must-have priorities rank in the data, from management communication at the top to flexible working hours.
| What lawyers prioritise | Must-have |
|---|---|
| Strong communication from management | 68.8% |
| Respectful colleagues | 66.7% |
| Base salary | 49.2% |
| Salary review period | 42.9% |
| On-the-job skill development and coaching | 42.9% |
| Promotion opportunities | 42.9% |
| Flexible working hours | 25% |
Work-life balance is no longer just a perk
With work-life balance ranking as the most important employment driver at 36.8%, flexibility remains a significant consideration for legal professionals. The data also reveals that 25% of legal candidates consider flexible working hours a must-have, while a further 56.8% would be delighted to have them.
However, flexibility is about more than offering a work-from-home day. Lawyers want to know their workload is manageable and that flexibility is genuinely supported by the firm's culture. Are you offering flexibility on paper, or is it something your employees actually experience?
Firms that can point to how flexibility works in practice are better positioned to attract and retain experienced lawyers: how attendance is managed, whether part-time and compressed arrangements are genuinely available, and what happened to the last person who used them.
Are you offering flexibility on paper, or is it something your employees actually experience?
Salary matters, but it is not everything
Base salary is a must-have for 49.2% of respondents, and 42.9% consider a salary review period a must-have. That highlights the importance of ongoing remuneration discussions, not just an attractive starting salary.
Remuneration needs to reflect experience, responsibilities and market expectations. Even so, salary alone may not secure a candidate, because lawyers assess the complete opportunity: culture, flexibility, development and long-term prospects.
Benchmarking against current market data, including published surveys such as the ALPMA HR and Salary Survey, and publishing a defensible range remains the most reliable way to avoid losing candidates late in a process. See also what the 2026 ALPMA and Elias Recruitment salary survey means for lawyers.
Career progression can make or break retention
42.9% of respondents identify on-the-job skill development and coaching as a must-have, and 42.9% also consider promotion opportunities essential. Lawyers are thinking beyond their immediate responsibilities.
They want to feel their careers are moving forward, whether through technical expertise, greater autonomy or progress towards a senior position. Firms need meaningful mentoring, development opportunities and clear pathways. If a talented lawyer cannot see a future with you, they may begin looking for one elsewhere.
Culture is more than a selling point
Workplace culture carries considerable weight, particularly communication, respect and supportive leadership. 66.7% of legal candidates consider respectful colleagues a must-have, and 68.8% say the same of strong communication from management. These are the two highest-rated must-haves in the data set, higher than salary.
Culture is not about social events or office perks. It is about how people are treated, supported and communicated with every day. It can be hard to convey in a job advertisement, but it often becomes the deciding factor during recruitment.
Candidates are not simply choosing a role. They are choosing the people they will work alongside and the environment they will spend much of their week in. Read more in why culture isn't just nice to have.
Candidates are not simply choosing a role. They are choosing the people they will work alongside.
What this means for the legal market: four actions for employers
The message for employers is clear: attracting and retaining legal talent takes more than a competitive salary and an impressive job title. Firms and in-house teams that prioritise genuine flexibility, development and a supportive culture will stand out. In practice, that usually means:
- Describe how decisions are actually made and communicated.
- Show a new lawyer what their first twelve months and third year look like.
- Pay in line with the market and review it on a defined cycle.
- Train the people who supervise, because that is where culture is experienced day to day.
For lawyers considering a move, look beyond remuneration to what will make an opportunity rewarding in the long term. Ask what the supervision is really like, how workload is managed, and what has happened to the last few people who did the job.
How can law firms improve lawyer retention?
The priorities in this data point to practical steps: make workload genuinely manageable, support flexibility in practice rather than in policy documents, offer a defined salary review cycle, provide mentoring and a visible progression pathway, and hold managers to a consistent standard of communication.
Is salary the main reason lawyers change jobs?
Salary is a major factor, cited as a must-have by 49.2% of respondents, but it is rarely the whole reason. Lawyers also weigh flexibility, development and culture, which is why counteroffers that address only money often fail to hold someone who has already decided to leave. More on this in counteroffers: should you stay or should you go.
Talk to us about what is happening in your market
At Elias Recruitment, we work closely with legal professionals and employers to understand what matters on both sides of the recruitment process. Whether you are exploring your next opportunity or looking to attract and retain exceptional legal talent, understanding these changing expectations is a good place to start.
You can browse current legal roles, read about how we work with employers, explore the Legal Talent Pool as an alternative to a traditional search, or book a meeting to talk through retention and hiring in your practice area.
Source: SEEK's Talent Attraction Lab, 2026, Legal Industry Candidate Insights.
- Specialist legal recruitment for lawyers and employers
- Legal Talent Pool as an alternative to a traditional search
- Advice on retention and hiring in your practice area
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