The UK legal recruitment market remained quieter than expected during the summer of 2026, although there are some signs that the wider employment market may be starting to improve.
During July, the Ten Percent Group added 20 new locum roles, compared with 29 during the same period in 2025. We received 14 new permanent vacancies, compared with 16 last year, while new candidate registrations fell from 73 to 47.
Locum recruitment has been steady rather than busy. Conveyancing locum rates have started to fall slightly, with the lowest rates we are currently seeing at around £40 per hour. Permanent recruitment remains quiet, largely because many solicitors are reluctant to move unless a new position offers a significant improvement in salary, career prospects or working arrangements.
There is slightly more encouraging news in the latest KPMG and REC Report on Jobs. Temporary vacancies increased for the first time in two years, temporary billings continued to grow and the permanent recruitment market showed signs of stabilising.
The August 2026 edition of Legal Recruitment News includes:
- Our latest legal job market report
- Locum solicitor hourly rates
- Permanent solicitor and legal support salary ranges
- Ten mistakes to avoid when using AI to write legal job adverts
- Selling or merging a law firm with a local competitor
- The potential effect of COLP, COFA and client account interest proposals on smaller law firms
- Our latest Ten Percent Foundation donation
Read the complete August 2026 Legal Recruitment News.
Candidates can search our current legal vacancies or register confidentially for legal work.
Law firms and legal employers can register a permanent or locum vacancy free of charge.
