Drawing insights from over 1,000 legal professionals nationwide, the guide explores the current employment landscape across Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane and reveals key drivers behind career movement across the profession.

While salary remains the top motivator for moving, career progression is a strong secondary driver, cited by 38 per cent of lawyers, and 53 per cent of legal support staff considering a move.

Beyond pay and progression, 33 per cent of lawyers are motivated to move due to dissatisfaction with their current roles, while 28 per cent of legal support staff are seeking greater flexibility, underlining how hybrid and remote working models continue to shape recruitment strategies, according to the guide.

In the Melbourne market, the highest salary junior lawyers (less than two years PQE) could earn was $130,000 in an international or top-tier firm, $120,000 in a national or mid-tier firm, and $105,000 in a boutique. In Brisbane, these numbers were slightly lower, with salaries being as high as $125,000 in a top-tier firm, $110,000 in a mid-tier, and $105k in a boutique.

Sydney had the highest salary numbers, with junior lawyers being able to make up to $140,000 in a top-tier firm and $125,000 in a mid-tier – but only up to $100,000 in a boutique. A salaried partner in Sydney can also make more than $450,000 in top-tier firms, compared to $350,000+ in Brisbane and $400,000+ in Melbourne.

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In the Sydney market, areas that are most in demand were commercial litigation, insurance, professional indemnity, class actions, property, planning and environment, employment/workplace relations, personal injury, and family law. Despite demand, however, the guide noted that firms have become “increasingly selective” in their hiring processes.

“The hiring process is becoming longer, with at least two to three interviews, peer coffees, and drafting exercises. Offers after one interview are also in the past. Regarding remuneration, those excessive salaries are also a thing of the past. Law firms are being conservative with offers, and sign-on bonuses have also slowed down. Rather than sign-on bonuses, employers are offering bonuses after the candidate’s probationary period,” it said.

In Brisbane, the upcoming Olympics has spurred a lot of activity in the projects, property development, planning and environment, litigation, and M&A practice areas. Empire group is also seeing more demand for litigation lawyers and commercial property lawyers in the state.

“Regarding remuneration, employers are more hesitant to inflate salaries and add sign-on bonuses, prioritising the right fit for a candidate before jumping to an offer. We no longer see those quick, reactive hires as market demand has slowly depleted. Pressure on firms to ratify expenditures has increased, which has slowed the recruitment approval process,” the guide said.

After research across the Melbourne market, empire group revealed that lawyers with three to eight years of experience are in the most demand – and that “it’s imperative for law firms and companies to retain the talent they work so hard to recruit”.

“Speaking to our law firm clients, we have learned that exciting opportunities are emerging in energy, retirement living, competition, environment, cyber, and ESG. These are in addition to the already buoyant transactional areas, including property and commercial/corporate law,” the guide said.

Commenting on the findings within the guide, empire group national legal manager and former lawyer Rachael Musgrave said: “Looking to FY25–26, the legal market is poised for continued transformation, challenging traditional law firm models. We’re seeing clear signs of opportunity and expect considerable movement across the sector.”