2. BACKDROP
TO SURVEY
The last twelve months have borne witness to a
sequence of positive developments regarding the Irish
economy. Year on year, employment levels are rising
and unemployment levels are reducing, in particular
amongst legal professionals. Both GDP and GNP
continue to improve, while VAT and personal tax returns
are generally ahead of expectations. Global ratings
agency Fitch upgraded Ireland’s credit rating from BBB
to A- in August 2014 which was followed in December by
Standard and Poor which upgraded Ireland’s long term
credit rating from A- to A. Once again, Ireland is the
fastest growing economy in Europe and is being held up
as a model of economic recovery and success.
HRMRECRUITTRAINEESURVEYREPORTIRELAND2015
01
The areas of Law and Construction are two in which
significant employment contraction was suffered as a
direct consequence of the downturn. Within the legal
sector, 2008 and 2009 were marked by redundancies,
salary reductions, business closures and a lack of NQ
retention. As late as 2011, sentiment amongst lawyers in
Ireland was still extremely nervous. In previous research
conducted by HRM Recruit midway through 2011,
redundancies, insurance costs and pressure on fees
were the three factors cited by lawyers as having the
most transformational impact on the private practice
market. The next biggest concern cited by respondents
was emigration. In 2014 we commenced a further twelve
month piece of research which focused on the views
and aspirations of trainee solicitors and law graduates
in Ireland.
44% of law graduates
and trainee solicitors
surveyed, do not wish
to become a partner
in a law firm.
3. 02
RESPONDENTS WERE
31%
2%
31%
15%
21%
Law Graduates in Ireland
Trainees In-house in Ireland
Trainees with a law firm of less than 50
employees in Ireland
Trainees with a law firm of 50 – 300 employees
in Ireland
Trainees with a law firm of 300+ employees in
Ireland
The 204 respondents to the survey were drawn
from law students and graduates, trainees working
in private practice, trainees working in-house and
recently qualified solicitors.
The research focused on three primary factors in order
to draw a rounded perspective on career aspiration and
expectation:
1) Trainee’s preferred area of practice upon
qualification;
2) Trainee’s views as to the identity of the best
law firms in Dublin
3) Trainee’s long term career aspirations, in-
house or partnership.
4. HRMRECRUITTRAINEESURVEYREPORTIRELAND2015
03
• For 22% of graduates, the answer is technology and
IP law. Traditional commercial law disciplines fared
poorly (4% would choose funds; 4% would choose
corporate; 2% would choose banking; 4% would
choose commercial litigation).
• For in-house trainees, preferences were evenly spread
across technology and IP law, aviation finance and
commercial litigation.
• 18% of respondents training in a firm with less than
50 employees wished to qualify into a general
practice role with only slightly less (16%) wishing to
practice in general civil litigation. Only 4% of
respondents wished to qualify into family law and 9%
into criminal law.
• Amongst trainees working in firms with 50-300
employees, commercial litigation and banking were
the most popular choices (both 19%). Interestingly,
amongst those who would choose to qualify into
banking, the majority would choose a specialist area
such as debt capital markets, derivatives or aviation
finance over general banking. Only 10% of
respondents chose technology and IP law.
• Amongst trainees working in the largest firms, with
300+ employees, 27% of respondents would choose
to qualify into commercial litigation, 17% into
Technology and IP law and 17% into banking. Only
7% would choose corporate and 3% would chose
real estate.
1. If the decision was entirely your
own, what would be your first
choice of practice area upon
qualification as a solicitor?
22% of law graduates and
trainee solicitors surveyed
stated technology and IP law
as their desired area of law to
practice.
5. 04
• In recent years, commentators have used a
number of different labels; “Top 3”, “Big 4”, “Top 5”
and “Big 6”, to describe the top tier firms in
Ireland. According to respondents to the survey,
they view a six firm grouping as being the “top
tier”. These are the brands that respondents say
resonate most and 84% named one or several of
“Big 6” as being “the top law firm” in Ireland. 1
• For 21% of respondents, one law firm brand in
particular stands out as being the top law firm in
Ireland; this trend is particularly pronounced
amongst graduate level respondents. As a
comparison, the remaining “Big 6” firms receive
17%, 16%, 12%, 11% and 7% brand recognition
levels. While the percentages differ somewhat
across the respondent categories, broadly
speaking, the 6 firms are consistently ranked in
exactly the same order.
• 12% of respondents named one or several of the
other large commercial firms in Dublin, Cork,
Limerick or Galway as being one of the top law
firms in Ireland. 4% of respondents named other
firms as being one of the top law firms in Ireland.
For 21% of respondents, one
law firm brand in particular
stands out as being the top
law firm in Ireland.
2. In your opinion, what are the
top law firms in Ireland?
1
The “Big 6” law firms, listed here in the alphabetical
order in which they appear in the Law Directory, are
Arthur Cox, William Fry, A&L Goodbody, McCann
FitzGerald, Mason Hayes & Curran, Matheson.
6. HRMRECRUITTRAINEESURVEYREPORTIRELAND2015
05
Only 56% of those surveyed indicated that they wish
to become a partner in a law firm, 40% identify their
goal as becoming a senior in house lawyer and 4%
wish to pursue an alternative career path. While law
firms with 300+ employees can take comfort in the
fact that 71% of respondents in this category wish to
become a partner, the picture is less rosy for law
firms outside this category:
• 47% of trainees working in law firms with 50-300
employees wish to become a senior in house
lawyer with 53% who wish to become a partner;
• 38% of trainees working in law firms with less
than 50 employees wish to become a senior in-
house lawyer, 13% wish to pursue an alternative
career while 49% wish to become a partner;
• 100% of those training in-house wish to pursue a
career in-house;
• 31% of graduates wish to pursue a career in house
while 69% wish to become a partner.
3. Looking into the future, which of
the following would you prefer to
become; a partner in a law firm or
a senior in-house lawyer?
7. 06
One of the most notable
points highlighted by this
survey is the number of law
graduates who do not wish
to become a partner in a law
firm. It is also notable that
technology and IP law and
commercial litigation are by
a significant margin the most
popular career path choices
at present.
As different aspects of the
Irish economy recover it will
be interesting to see the
effect this will have, on the
attitudes of law graduates
and trainees who participate
in the next Trainee Ireland
Survey. 2
Bryan Durkan, Associate Director – Legal Selection, HRM
Recruit, Dublin – Cork – Galway.
2
We will be commencing research on the 2015
trainee views over the next 3 months.
