LEGAL
TOP 3 MOST IN-DEMAND POSITIONS:
1
Lawyer/In-house Counsel
(specialising in Financial Services and Technology)
2 Property Solicitor
3 Company Secretary
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LEGAL
BENEFIT
MANAGEMENT
NON MANAGEMENT
4% - 9% employer contribution
4% - 6% employer contribution
Full cover for employee and dependents
Full / Partial / 10% group discount scheme
Up to 20%
Up to 10%
20 - 29 days
20 - 25 days
3 - 4 times basic salary
2 - 4 times basic salary
PENSION
HEALTHCARE
BONUS
ANNUAL LEAVE
LIFE ASSURANCE
Car Allowance / Professional Subscriptions / Travel Tax Saver Schemes / Stock Options
Product Discounts / Sports & Social / Employee Assistance Programme / Mobile Phone
OTHER
Laptop / Educational Support
KEY TRENDS
1
There is continued growth in recruitment within the corporate legal sector, primarily
within the top tier law firms and the in-house legal departments of multinationals and
financial services companies.
2
Property, construction and conveyancing are the key areas driving the most growth
within the mid-tier and small firms.
3
There has been a significant increase in the demand for company secretaries who are
qualified members of the ICSA. This is mainly due to the Companies Bill 2012 enacted
into law in the latter half of 2014.
4 Qualified solicitors with at least 3-4 years post qualified experience will be most indemand within the larger firms and in-house throughout 2015. Expertise within banking,
funds, commercial, intellectual property, litigation, employment, insurance, property,
compliance and regulatory will be the most sought after talent.
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LEGAL
There was a welcome return to hiring in the legal
sector throughout 2014 which has positioned the
sector well for future growth in 2015. Specialisms such
as property and conveyancing were most positively
impacted by this recovery. The demand for qualified
solicitors continues to increase. We are seeing a
growing trend to recruit for solicitors on a contract
basis driven by a recovery which continues to be
difficult to predict. We anticipate increased
competition for graduates across all firms in 2015 as
the recovery in this sector continues.
As the demand outstrips supply for solicitors in the
above areas, the top tier and boutique firms are
employers of choice for this talent. Over the last year,
the sector has experienced the consolidation of a
number of smaller firms which has enabled them to
compete for specialist talent as boutique firms. This is
most evident in the property sector.
THE INCREASE IN M&A ACTIVITY, IN
ADDITION TO AN INCREASINGLY
COMPLEX REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT
IS LEADING TO MULTINATIONALS
BUILDING THEIR OWN IN-HOUSE LEGAL
TEAMS, MOST NOTABLY WITHIN
FINANCIAL SERVICES.
Although the market has picked up, many of the small
to mid tier firms have not made any significant pay
increases in the last 12 months, while some of the top
tier firms have paid modest increases of up to 5%.
Junior and senior legal counsel positions within the
technology and Financial Services sectors are
experiencing salary inflation at an average rate of 10%
year on year.
The increase in M&A (Mergers and Acquisitions)
activity, in addition to an increasingly complex
regulatory environment, is leading to multinationals
building their own in-house legal teams, most notably
within Financial Services. The reduction of external
legal advisory costs is also a driver in building these
teams.
Salary is one of the most important motivators for
professionals considering a career move within the
legal sector. Additionally, career progression and a
move from private practice to a top tier or boutique
firm are important considerations. These factors are
most pronounced at the senior end of the market.
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LEGAL
IN HOUSE | PERMANENT (Annual salary)
ROLE
YEARS
EXPERIENCE
DUBLIN €
CORK €
LIMERICK €
WATERFORD €
HEAD OF LEGAL
5+
100,000 - 300,000
100,000 - 250,000
100,000 - 220,000
100,000 - 220,000
SENIOR TRANSACTION
5+
80,000 - 150,000
80,000 - 130,000
80,000 - 120,000
80,000 - 120,000
LEGAL ADVISOR
1–3
45,000 - 60,000
40,000 - 55,000
40,000 - 50,000
40,000 - 50,000
3–5
60,000 - 75,000
55,000 - 72,000
50,000 - 70,000
50,000 - 70,000
LAWYER/IN-HOUSE
COUNSEL
(SPECIALISING IN
FINANCIAL SERVICES
AND TECHNOLOGY)
0–3
55,000 - 70,000
50,000 - 65,000
50,000 - 65,000
50,000 - 65,000
3–5
70,000 - 85,000
65,000 - 80,000
65,000 - 80,000
65,000 - 80,000
5+
85,000 - 110,000
80,000 - 95,000
80,000 - 95,000
80,000 - 95,000
PROPERTY SOLICITOR
0–3
50,000 - 65,000
45,000 - 60,000
45,000 - 60,000
45,000 - 60,000
3–5
65,000 - 75,000
60,000 - 70,000
60,000 - 70,000
60,000 - 70,000
5+
75,000 - 95,000
70,000 - 90,000
70,000 - 90,000
70,000 - 90,000
NEWLY QUALIFIED
SOLICITOR
0–3
45,000 - 55,000
40,000 - 50,000
40,000 - 48,000
40,000 - 48,000
LEGAL EXECUTIVE
3–5
32,000 – 40,000
30,000 - 38,000
28,000 - 37,000
28,000 - 37,000
PRIVIATE PRACTICE | PERMANENT (Annual salary)
ROLE
YEARS
EXPERIENCE
DUBLIN €
CORK €
LIMERICK €
WATERFORD €
SOLICITOR
0–3
50,000 - 65,000
45,000 - 60,000
40,000 - 50,000
40,000 - 50,000
3–5
65,000 - 80,000
60,000 - 75,000
50,000 - 70,000
50,000 - 70,000
5+
80,000 - 100,000
75,000 - 100,000
70,000 - 90,000
70,000 - 90,000
NEWLY QUALIFIED
SOLICITOR
0–3
45,000 - 55,000
42,000 - 52,000
40,000 - 50,000
40,000 - 50,000
COMPANY SECRETARY
1–2
40,000 - 50,000
35,000 - 45,000
32,000 - 42,000
32,000 - 42,000
2–4
50,000 - 55,000
45,000 - 50,000
42,000 - 50,000
42,000 - 50,000
LEGAL EXECUTIVE
3–5
33,000 - 43,000
30,000 - 40,000
30,000 - 38,000
30,000 - 38,000
COMPANY SECRETARY
TRAINEE
0–5
28,000 - 32,000
25,000 - 30,000
25,000 - 29,000
25,000 - 29,000
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LEGAL
LEGAL SUPPORT | PERMANENT (Annual salary)
ROLE
YEARS
EXPERIENCE
DUBLIN €
CORK €
LIMERICK €
WATERFORD €
LEGAL SECRETARY
0–3
22,000 - 30,000
20,000 - 25,000
20,000 - 27,000
20,000 - 26,000
3–5
30,000 - 35,000
25,000 - 32,000
27,000 - 32,000
26,000 - 30,000
5+
35,000 - 40,000
32,000 - 36,000
32,000 - 35,000
30,000 - 35,000
0–3
25,000 - 30,000
22,000 - 26,000
22,000 - 26,000
22,000 - 26,000
3–5
30,000 - 40,000
26,000 - 35,000
26,000 - 35,000
26,000 - 35,000
5+
40,000 - 50,000
35,000 - 45,000
35,000 - 45,000
35,000 - 45,000
1–2
22,000 - 28,000
21,000 - 26,000
21,000 - 26,000
21,000 - 26,000
2–4
28,000 - 40,000
26,000 - 36,000
26,000 - 35,000
26,000 - 35,000
40,000 - 50,000
36,000 - 48,000
35,000 - 40,000
35,000 - 40,000
LEGAL EXECUTIVE
PARALEGAL
LEGAL SUPPORT | CONTRACT (Rate per hour)*
ROLE
YEARS
EXPERIENCE
DUBLIN €
CORK €
LIMERICK €
WATERFORD €
LEGAL SECRETARY
0–3
10 - 14
10 - 14
8 - 12
8 - 12
3–5
14 - 16
14 - 16
12 - 15
12 - 15
5+
16 - 21
16 - 20
15 - 20
15 - 20
*Figures shown reflect base salaries quoted in hourly rates.
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