Theacura mdx triangle with exclamation point light UK’s imminent exit from the EU did not dampen activity in the legal recruitment sector last year, with the number of jobs on offer increasing by a third, according to new research.

According to data compiled by professional services recruiter Morgan McKinley, there was a 33% increase in available jobs compared to 2017, with much of the growth driven by investment in in-house legal teams.

Lawyers with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) expertise were highly sought-after, while interest in legal roles at accounting firms also spiked last year as the Big Four continue their push into law. Registrations for legal jobs at accountancy firms increased by more than 50% over the course of the year, according to the research.

The practice areas that saw the biggest increase in interest included technology, media and telecoms (TMT), which saw a 25% increase in demand, with a 10% increase in demand for lawyers specialising in advice on data protection and GDPR, which came into force last May.

Contract lawyer positions are also continuing to grow in popularity, in particular with female lawyers, with the research finding that 64% of temporary placements last year were taken up by women.

Recruitment for training contracts remained flat overall, but this was as a result of increased opportunities at regional firms cancelling out a decrease at magic circle and international firms at the top end of the market.

The research also canvassed lawyers on pay and their expectations for the year ahead, with 42% of respondents saying they received a pay rise in 2018, and 61% saying they expected to see an increase in their salary during the year ahead.

More than 340,000 people are employed in the UK legal services market, with around a third of those based in London.

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