Demand for contract lawyers is particularly high owing to large scale construction projects, with major house building schemes and urban redevelopment playing a key role in driving demand.

Increasing demand for contract lawyers

Sam Walters, associate director for legal recruitment at Robert Walters, commented that the uptick in construction has boosted demand for contract lawyers. He added: ‘The need to conduct negotiations between various stakeholders means that legal professionals with experience in this area are particularly sought after, with a rise in demand for staff to fill in-house roles and private practice firms looking to expand.’

Finance and corporate lawyers wanted 

Widespread company restructurings also saw demand rise for specialists in financial and corporate law, as despite uncertainty in the financial markets, company mergers and internal corporate restructuring projects have remained common.