Birchrose Associates – Q3 Associate Hiring Summary

Birchrose Associates – Q3 Associate Hiring Summary

We’ve looked back at the Associate hiring trends that shaped Q3 and it’s clear it was a busy few months across the London legal market. Our data shows the highest number of moves in Corporate and Commercial (184), followed by Dispute Resolution (146) and Real Estate (128). Finance, HR (to include Employment), and Private Client also saw steady growth, while activity in TMT and Insurance reflect more modest numbers. Overall, Q3 showed a strong and confident market, setting a positive tone as we continue further into Q4.

Shining the spotlight on…

Corporate and Commercial

Taking a closer look at activity within the Corporate and Commercial space, Corporate M&A stood out as the most in-demand area this quarter, driving the highest number of Associate moves (93 in total). PwC’s Global M&A Industry Trends 2025 Mid-Year Outlook, reports that while overall deal volumes have dipped, deal values are on the rise as businesses focus on fewer, higher-quality transactions. We’ve seen this reflected across UK firms, where demand is strongest for lawyers who can advise on complex, high-value, and often cross-border deals.

Real Estate

Real Estate moves increased in the last quarter, in comparison to Q2. The sector continues to be one of the main drivers of recruitment activity across the UK’s Top 200 firms, and with good reason. There’s a real sense of momentum in the market, especially in London, where a mix of reforms and major developments is boosting confidence. Recent changes aimed at modernising property law, improving leasing arrangements, and strengthening tenant protections are all contributing to this growth. Slaughter and May’s latest Real Estate Newsletter, highlights how these updates are shaping a more dynamic property market, consequently fuelling demand for skilled legal professionals.

We’ll continue to follow these trends closely as the legal market evolves over the coming months.