02 Dec 2024 Candidate Insights: Navigating a Shifting Landscape
The Results are in!
The Australian legal landscape continues to evolve in response to economic, technological, and cultural shifts, creating a dynamic environment for legal professionals at all levels. To better understand how these changes are impacting those within the sector, Montgomery recently conducted a candidate poll gathering insights on key issues such as the effects of AI, salary trends, workplace challenges, and hybrid working. Our findings show a revealing snapshot of the 2024 legal market as we approach the end of the year.
The Rise of AI in Legal Roles: Limited but Growing Impact
While artificial intelligence continues to dominate discussions about the future of work, its impact on the legal profession remains limited. While 30% of respondents reported they are noticing the impacts of AI on their jobs, the majority—70%—stated that AI has had no impact on their work to date. These figures suggest that while AI adoption in the legal profession is progressing, its integration into everyday workflows is still in the early stages, leaving much of its potential untapped.
Salary Increases: A Mixed Bag
Remuneration trends in the legal sector paint an interesting picture for professionals. According to our poll, 19% of respondents reported receiving a salary increase of less than 5%, while 42% saw raises between 5–20%. Alarmingly, 39% of legal professionals experienced no salary increase at all this year. These statistics reflect widening disparities in salary adjustments, highlighting the cautious approach many employers are taking amid economic uncertainty. This trend leaves a significant portion of the workforce feeling undervalued, despite the increasing demands placed on legal teams.
Workload and Resourcing: Persistent Pressures on Legal Teams
Workload and resourcing challenges remain at the forefront for legal professionals in 2024. According to our poll, 33% of respondents identified resourcing as the biggest issue they faced this year, followed closely by workload and being ‘overworked’ (29%). Other challenges included team changes (20%), lack of leadership (10%), and team culture or morale issues (8%). Budget restrictions were less frequently mentioned, affecting only 5% of respondents. These findings highlight the strain on legal teams, underscoring the need for organisations to address staffing shortages, manage workloads effectively, and foster strong leadership and team dynamics to support employee satisfaction in the profession.
Hybrid working: Balancing Productivity and Well-Being
Hybrid working remains a contentious issue in the legal profession. As many law firms and legal teams push for employees to return to the office three or more days a week, opinions on its impact are divided. While 25% of respondents felt hybrid working positively influenced their work-life balance, productivity results were mixed, with only a 5% difference between those who felt more productive at home versus less productive. Challenges associated with remote work include difficulty building relationships with colleagues and a lack of visibility over certain aspects of workloads. These findings suggest that while hybrid working offers benefits, there is still work to be done in addressing its downsides emphasising the need for firms and teams to develop tailored approaches that balance flexibility, collaboration, and productivity.
Conclusion
The legal profession is navigating a period of significant change, marked by the cautious integration of AI, uneven salary growth, mounting workload pressures, and the ongoing debate over hybrid working. As firms and legal teams look ahead, the focus must shift toward innovation, fair remuneration practices, and fostering a supportive workplace culture. It will be interesting to see what 2025 holds for firms who can better equip themselves to meet the changing legal landscape in the future.
