Session on 2nd April 2025

Andre McClean (Strangford Search), a former litigation lawyer turned legal recruitment specialist with a decade of experience placing lawyers across London, shared practical insights on current hiring trends in the legal sector. Drawing from his background as a solicitor who trained at Linklaters before working in white-collar crime and in-house roles, McClean offered a unique perspective on how law firms approach talent acquisition and what candidates should consider when navigating career moves.

The “Sweet Spot” for Lateral Moves

One of the most significant insights McClean shared relates to the optimal timing for lateral moves. While partner-level recruitment focuses primarily on portable business rather than seniority, associate hiring reveals clear patterns around experience levels.

“That two to four, maybe broader to say one to five, but two to four is a kind of sweet spot area,” McClean explained. At this level, lawyers have completed their training, established competence in their practice area, and represent a “safe pair of hands” who can immediately contribute value to busy teams.

As lawyers progress beyond four or five years post-qualification, the market dynamics shift significantly in many practice areas. McClean noted that for senior associates, firms often question, “What does this person know at six years that they didn’t know at three and a half?” More importantly, hiring senior external talent can create structural challenges within existing teams.

“If I’ve got a number of really good three, four year qualified lawyers within my team who I’m bringing on, trying to encourage, trying to convey the message that they’ve got a future in the firm…that person comes in at six years qualified – that’s another barrier between the really strong three and a half year qualified and partnership. It’s another barrier between them and contact with the partner or contact with the client.”

This insight suggests that associates considering lateral moves should carefully evaluate timing rather than waiting too long, particularly in certain practice areas like corporate or real estate.

Practice Areas: Pockets of High Demand

While the overall legal market remains competitive, McClean identified significant variations in demand across practice areas. He observed that restructuring lawyers and private credit specialists have consistently found opportunities throughout his decade in recruitment.

“In my 10 years in recruitment, there’s almost always been a role for you or a number of roles for you externally if you’re good and you’re coming from a strong team,” he noted about these specialisations.

McClean also highlighted how market conditions can shift rapidly for specific practice areas. “Two years ago, the CLO market was absolutely dead. People being made redundant, sneaky redundancies on the go. And now a two to four year qualified CLO lawyer from a decent team can just name their price, can name their firm.”

This volatility underscores the importance of considering not just current demand but also long-term career sustainability when selecting a specialisation.

The Reality of Work Arrangements and Billable Hours

Despite ongoing discussions about alternative billing models and flexible work arrangements, McClean was forthright about the enduring dominance of the billable hour in legal practice economics.

“The billable hour has been here forever, and regardless of any headlines that you see out there saying it’s going away, any attack on the billable hour model is an attack on the profitability of the law firm,” McClean stated.

He explained that while firms have explored various alternative fee arrangements for decades, the fundamental business model remains largely unchanged: “Your greatest asset in the law firm is your people, and the rate at which you charge out those people is largely set by the market. The only major lever you have on your profitability is how many hours you work your people.”

When asked about the impact of alternative legal service providers and flexible legal models, McClean acknowledged their presence but suggested their influence remains somewhat limited in certain contexts. He noted that while these models might reduce the need for permanent staff in areas like litigation document review, firms focused on growth and market share still prefer building permanent teams.

Challenges of Career Path Transitions

An important warning for associates considering temporary or contract roles emerged during the discussion. McClean revealed that lawyers who leave traditional practice for contract positions often face significant challenges when attempting to return.

“It can be quite a difficult move to leave a big law team and say, ‘I want more flexibility, I’m going to go into the contractor market,'” he noted. “There is a lens through which firms look at that when someone is then seeking to reenter the permanent market.”

While not characterising this as a concern about “flakiness,” McClean suggested firms question whether returnees from contract positions truly aspire to partnership: “There could be a question of, does this person want to be a partner? And if they don’t want to be a partner, would it be better off with somebody who is already on track?”

Building Trust in the Recruitment Process

Throughout the discussion, McLean emphasised that successful recruitment hinges on trust-building between all parties. He described a recruitment approach centered on understanding candidates as individuals rather than simply filling open positions.

“Building those relationships with the candidates is actually what makes you valuable to your clients,” he explained. “The worst thing that you can do is head-hunt someone from the Magic Circle who says, ‘I want a better work-life balance’ and send them into Kirkland and Ellis or another elite US firm.”

For candidates evaluating potential moves, McLean recommended face-to-face meetings with prospective teams to assess cultural fit and career development opportunities. “You’ll pick that up over the course of meeting someone face to face, looking them in the eye and saying, ‘If I was to be successful in this role, what sort of work would you have me doing on day one?'”

He noted that while firms might sometimes be vague about partnership prospects, they tend to be transparent about work demands: “If a team is working 2,000 hours a year, they’re likely just to be upfront about that, because what they definitely don’t want is to get someone on board who’s expecting to do 1,500 hours and then leaves within nine months.”

Technology Skills and Future Trends

When asked about emerging skill requirements like AI proficiency, McLean offered a measured perspective, cautioning against overreacting to industry fads. “I’m not seeing any of my clients mention AI as a skill that they need to have,” he stated.

Drawing a parallel to previous trends, he recalled, “Three or four years ago, law firms were buying the drama by teaching lawyers how to code…it was a hundred percent a fad.” While acknowledging that “AI is clearly not a fad,” McLean suggested its precise impact on legal hiring remains unclear.

His primary advice for lawyers navigating this evolving landscape was straightforward: stay informed about which practice areas are currently in demand, as this remains the most reliable predictor of career opportunities.

Looking Forward

As the legal profession continues evolving, McLean’s insights suggest that while certain fundamentals of legal hiring remain unchanged, strategic timing and specialisation choices can significantly impact career trajectories. For associates contemplating their next move, understanding these market dynamics provides valuable context for making informed decisions that align with their long-term professional goals.