Top legal roles in demand in the South West

Heightened activity in the commercial and residential property, private client and family law arenas is driving demand for lawyers and experienced legal executives in the South West, according to Clayton Legal.

Tina Adams, head of Clayton Legal’s operations in the South West, comments:

Commercial property lawyers – “Numerous reports have suggested that the South West trails behind only London in terms of confidence around construction and property, so it’s encouraging to see an uptick in demand for experienced commercial property lawyers. More firms are moving to the region and investing heavily in office space which is contributing directly to the demand for talent in this field. It’s hard to find professionals with the right background and track record in the South West so those with the right skill sets are able to earn considerably above the average.”

Residential conveyancers – “With all the activity in the residential housing market it’s hardly surprising that conveyancers are also in real demand as they’re the ones that drive these property deals through. House prices in the South West have also risen above the average rate for the UK so we’re seeing strong demand for residential experts with experience of running caseloads. A considerable number of these professionals were made redundant during the recession and when the market picked up again they weren’t drawn back to the field, meaning the market continues to suffer from shortages, particularly in the South West region.”

Family lawyers/legal executives – “In slightly less positive news, experienced family lawyers and legal executives have also been highly sought after at the start of 2017, particularly in private family law. Every year we see an increase in activity in this field, so much so that some lawyers refer to the first working Monday in January as “Divorce Monday”. Whether it’s down to the stress or the concentrated period of time spent together over Christmas, we consistently see significant demand for divorce and family law expertise over the festive period.”

Private client lawyers – “A similar trend is being experienced in private client law where professionals with experience of processing wills and probates, divorces and inheritance payments and charges are in significant demand. However, they’re probably not the main drivers behind this activity. Both organisations and individual clients are looking to find out the potential implications of Brexit and the most tax-efficient solution for holding their money and assets once Article 50 has been triggered. We’ve also seen firms seeking legal experts who have operated or have a knowledge of other European nations’ legal processes as clients look to find potential solutions outside of this country for when the situation around Brexit has been clarified. Ultimately it’s a good time to be working as a lawyer in the private client arena.”