The most common questions Associates have asked when considering a job change in 2024

The Associate recruitment market has been gaining momentum throughout 2024, and the fourth quarter shows no signs of slowing down. While 2023 was turbulent for some practice areas, particularly transactional work, a sense of stability is returning. With clearer interest rate expectations, private equity capital ready to deploy, and increased confidence in pricing among banks and the buy-side, we are seeing a rise in M&A and general deal activity. As a result, practice areas such as Leveraged Finance, Private Equity, M&A, Competition and Tax are busier than ever, and teams are hiring to meet demand.

When associates inquire about new roles, their main focus isn’t on salary or work-life balance—though these factors are important—but rather on the quality of work and training they would receive. The quality of the work is the top priority for most lawyers we speak to. Many junior lawyers today understand that while earning a high salary is attractive, it’s crucial to first build a strong foundation in their legal skills by working on meaningful projects and receiving effective training.

This generation of associates is astutely aware that becoming an excellent lawyer comes first, which will eventually lead to higher earning opportunities, such as joining a prestigious US law firm. However, there is often a perception that US law firms have leaner teams and less structured training, which can lead junior lawyers to feel that their development might be compromised. This perception is often very wrong though and when speaking to lawyers from US law firms they actually feel they are receiving excellent training through working in a lean team where the training is led by Partners and Senior Associates.

This brings us to a critical point for recruiters and law firms: what constitutes quality work and good training?

What Associates mean by quality work and training:

• Evidence of formal training programs and opportunities for development.
• Informal training led by Partners, Senior Associates, or Trainee Supervisors, including specific examples of how this is done in practice.
• High-quality work that involves complex issues, challenging lawyers to use their full legal skill set.
• Work perceived as high-caliber, which is seen as advantageous for career progression.
• The need for variety—associates often seek a balance between not becoming too specialized or remaining too generalist early in their careers.

In a competitive market, attracting top talent means recruiters must deeply understand the client brief, going beyond basics like salary, chargeable hour targets, or team size. Increasingly, associates want insight into the type of work they’ll handle and the kind of training available. For recruiters and law firms, providing detailed information on these elements is now crucial for matching candidates with the right opportunities and securing the best talent.