According to Hays’ 2020 UK Salary & Recruiting Trends guide, 89% of legal employers had experienced some form of skills shortage in 2019. But this problem was essentially reversed as many firms entered survival mode during successive COVID-19 lockdowns, putting a freeze on hiring. As we emerge from the devastation of the pandemic, there have been some substantial changes to the legal sector, many of which may end up changing the law firm recruitment model forever.

Traditionally, the career trajectory of a prospective solicitor was fairly ubiquitous, often consisting of the following stages of progression through the ranks of a firm:

1. Secure a training contract

2. Either stay at the same firm upon qualification or move elsewhere

3. Progress from a junior lawyer to an associate, potentially followed by a senior associate

4. Make partner and, eventually equity partner

Solicitors who deviated from this route to set up their own legal practice were few and far between. Aside from becoming an in-house lawyer, the only real alternative to progress a legal career was to become a barrister.