An Update on the Birmingham Legal Sector

It is known to all that London has long been the undisputed major legal market in this country. However, as a regional Recruiter, I’m aware that there are several cities outside of London that are thriving legal hubs in their own right and are becoming increasingly desirable locations for firms and legal Associates. Birmingham has one of the largest concentrations of legal services in the UK outside of London, comparable only to Manchester, Bristol and Leeds.

The Legal Landscape in Birmingham

The firms which make up the jewels in the crown of Birmingham's legal scene come from far and wide. DLA Piper, Pinsent Masons and Eversheds Sutherland dominate the top three tiers of the Legal 500 rankings for banking, corporate/M&A, litigation, real estate and employment in the region. For our candidates who are looking to relocate to Birmingham, this is providing real opportunities to undertake the relocation without having to compromise on the level or complexity of work that they undertake. However, it doesn’t stop there. There are also numerous leading national firms in the region including; Squire Patton Boggs, Gateley, Midland’s firm Browne Jacobson and native Birmingham outfits Gowling WLG and Shakespeare Martineau. Hovering under the big-hitters are numerous other national and native firms such as; Shoosmiths, DWF, BLM, Mills & Reeve, Kennedys, Irwin Mitchell, Freeths and Trowers & Hamlins.

As well as seeing increasing opportunities for Senior Associate candidates from international firms to move into Partnership positions at national practices, each year more graduates are choosing to apply for training contracts in Birmingham. And why not?

Birmingham is a quite clearly a major legal hub in the UK and offers lots of opportunities for career hungry professionals, not only great employment opportunities but a high quality of life at a much lower cost of living.

Why Should You Consider Birmingham?

There has been considerable growth in infrastructure, such as New Street Station’s £750 million transformation, leading to increased opportunities for Construction Lawyers. The HS2 high-speed rail network project will continue this trend and provide a number of opportunities for transactional, regulatory, compliance and litigation specialists. Additionally, the recent boom in Birmingham’s local housing market, fueled a huge increase in demand for the services of Residential Conveyancing Lawyers. With the influx of work available for Lawyers in Birmingham, there is a serious demand for high-quality commercial space. This is evident when you walk through the city and see the millions of pounds worth of investment which has been committed to impressive regeneration projects.

It’s an exciting year ahead for the city, as Birmingham was officially named as the host city of the 2022 Commonwealth Games, bringing even more jobs to the West Midlands region. As one of the youngest cities in Europe, Birmingham is vibrant and richly diverse. It is well known for always offering a warm welcome to visitors from around the world. The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games will demonstrate the very best of Global Britain to the world, showcasing the region’s strengths, including being connected and accessible, a center of youth and inclusivity, as well as a focus on regeneration and rejuvenation.