Why do City lawyers make the move to a regional firm?

We frequently have discussions with London lawyers who are considering opportunities outside of the city. Their initial questions usually include:

• What will the quality of work be like outside of London?
• Will I have to take a substantial pay cut?
• Are there as many partnership opportunities?
• What clients might instruct a regional firm over a city firm?
• Will I get a better work life balance, or the same amount of work but for less money?

We have been fortunate enough to work with lawyers from magic circle, US and top tier city firms who have made the decision to come out of London and accept a role in a regional firm and have tracked their successful careers since.

The quality of work in most leading regional firms will still be technically challenging and offer a closer working relationship with clients. As such, the clients might be different in size, but the exposure and opportunity to make an impact is greater. 

Salary is naturally a concern. The pay scales are different but not as far off London as one might think. The packages often offer competitive bonus schemes and leading regional firms are often in “growth” mode so are keen to hire future partners. This makes the route to partnership potentially swifter than in a larger firm, where there might be several people looking to make partnership and therefore less opportunity at the top, and the earning potential can exceed some city firms.

Many large multinationals instruct regional firms as they see good quality lawyers offering a more competitive rate. This is coupled with “micro-economies” in certain markets, for example in Cambridge and Oxford, which both benefit from the technology and life science sectors. 

Regional firms are protective over their culture and many lawyers choose to join, even into their London offices, because they have a supportive and nurturing approach taken from their regional roots. In addition to this, they can offer a better work-life balance, without compromise on future pay rewards. 

We operate in London but our origins are regional. Having opened our first office in Cambridge, we now work with firms in Oxford and Bristol.