2024 Canada Legal Salaries and Hiring Trends | Robert Half

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Law Firm Corporate (In-House) Law Firm Administration Legal Support Legal Specialist Contract Management Lease Administration Litigation Support/eDiscovery General Administrative
Position Title 25th Percentile 50th Percentile 75th Percentile Lawyer, 10+ Years' Experience 194750 225500 273000 Lawyer, 4-9 Years' Experience 119000 145750 194250 Lawyer, 2-3 Years' Experience 84750 103750 129750 First-Year Lawyer 63250 75500 95000
25th Percentile
New to the role, with little or no experience; requires more than casual instruction or supervision to perform day-to-day duties.
50th Percentile
Has the experience to consistently perform core responsibilities without direct supervision; very comfortable with processes and subject matter associated with the role.
75th Percentile
Value to the organization goes far beyond the ability to perform normal job duties; has rare qualifications that enable consistent contribution in unique ways; ready for next career level when available.

Hiring Trends in Legal

Civil litigators, real estate lawyers sought

Law firms are hiring middle-level lawyers but bringing in fewer entry-level professionals. Roles in demand include civil litigators, real estate lawyers and law clerks. Corporate legal departments, our recruiters report, aren’t hiring as much as they have in the past. Employers that can’t find the candidates they need for permanent roles are keeping projects on track by engaging talent solutions firms to staff contract positions.

Practice areas most in need of legal talent

Ethics and corporate governance Immigration Insurance defense Labour and employment Litigation Medical malpractice Privacy, data security and information law Real estate
AI and
machine learning
Advanced
technical skills
Management
experience
Research and
info analysis
Client management AI and
machine learning
Advanced
technical skills
Management
experience
Research and
info analysis
Client management

Remote and hybrid option a talent draw

Traditionally, the legal field has not offered off-site roles. Today, 33% of legal employers say they offer remote or hybrid work options, recognizing they must adapt to secure skilled candidates. Some legal managers prefer to offer fully remote arrangements only to more tenured staff who have earned their trust. Employers that don’t provide this flexibility may have to pay employees more: 82% of legal professionals said they’d like a salary premium if required to work in the office full time.
Hybrid Hybrid

Fully remote Fully remote

Industries hiring most

Financial services Insurance Litigation support Real estate

In-demand certifications and credentials

Accredited legal professional (ALP) Certified compliance and ethics professional (CCEP) Certified eDiscovery specialist (CEDS) Certified legal manager (CLM) Professional legal secretary (PLS) Accredited lawyer (JD)

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How do we determine our salary figures? See our methodology. The salaries listed in the salary tables represent starting compensation only, meaning pay for someone new to a company in the position listed. Our estimates do not include bonuses, benefits or perks. We report salaries in percentiles and ranges, recognizing that professionals join companies at varied experience levels. Other data referenced in this Salary Guide is based on online surveys developed by Robert Half and conducted by independent research firms. Respondents included hiring managers and employees from small (less than $50 million in revenues), midsize ($50 million to $1 billion) and large ($1 billion or greater) private, publicly listed and public sector organizations across Canada.