Articles

The legal industry is experiencing a fundamental transformation that spans multiple dimensions, with traditional models of firm structure, partner compensation, talent acquisition and practice areas being disrupted by current market forces and emerging opportunities.

There is strong demand across multiple practice areas with a particular focus on mid-level associates. Corporate, Banking and Finance practices have the highest demand, followed by Intellectual Property and Litigation. There is also a premium on niche practices including Energy/Environmental and International Trade practices. Most notably, the market has an increased demand associates with regulatory expertise across practice areas, reflecting DC's unique position in regulatory and compliance work.

While mid-level associates are most in demand , there are also numerous opportunities for junior associates, particularly in corporate/banking and patent prosecution roles. Senior-level positions are increasing in numbers and tend to be more specialized, focusing on complex areas, sucha as regulatory matters in areas like Energy and International Trade.

The legal industry is experiencing a fundamental transformation that spans multiple dimensions, with traditional models of firm structure, partner compensation, talent acquisition and practice areas being disrupted by current market forces and emerging opportunities.

Charlotte firms are strategically growing practice areas through both individual hires and group acquisitions. Internal market churn underlines the fierce competition among firms for top talent across experience levels.

In today's high-pressure work environment, where the lines between professional and personal life continue to blur, workplace well-being has become more critical than ever. While organizational culture plays a significant role, research shows that individual practices can substantially impact our daily work experience and long-term resilience.

One-on-one meetings (1:1s) between employees and managers are crucial touchpoints for career development, alignment, and support. However, these meetings often fall short of their potential, typically becoming manager-led status updates rather than meaningful conversations that drive employee growth and engagement.

Our twelve-month snapshot of transitions through June 2024 demonstrates that the labor and employment legal sector is experiencing significant talent reshuffling, with approximately 825 lateral associate moves. This surge in attorney mobility paints a vivid picture of a highly competitive talent market.

Major metropolitan centers are leading this trend, with Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco emerging as the primary hubs of activity. These cities, along with Chicago and Washington D.C., are witnessing a flurry of moves while the firms most actively involved in this talent exchange are often the same on both sides of the equation. The large L&E specialty firms such as Jackson Lewis PC, Ogletree Deakins, Littler Mendelson, and Fisher Phillips are seeing significant numbers of both arrivals and departures. This two-way flow suggests a robust market where attorneys have a spectrum of new opportunities and firms are actively reshaping their talent pools.

In the world of banking and finance law, the latest data on lateral moves reveals a picture of opportunity, particularly for third to sixth-year associates. Our twelve-month snapshot of transitions through June 2024 demonstrates that the legal market in this practice is adapting and thriving, offering exciting opportunities for talented associates.