The days of lifelong allegiance to a law firm are at end, according to a survey published today revealing that fewer than one in five assistants intend to be in their jobs in five years' time.

The survey of 2,225 assistant solicitors working at large UK and US law firms found that the loyalty of assistants towards their firms is extremely low despite a year of hefty salary rises.

Fewer than 20 per cent of junior assistants (0-2 years’ qualified) plan to be at their current firm in five years time, despite average pay increases of more than 25 per cent in the last two years. Salaries at the highest paying US firms now top £90,000 for a lawyer with just one year’s post-qualification experience.

The survey by Legal Business found that assistant solicitors – those who have yet to reach partnership – are not deserting the law but are frequently choosing to move to a rival firm or to in-house positions, often with their former clients.

The average solicitor with six years post-qualification experience is now working at their second or third firm. The primary reasons for this churn are not money, but the promise of better career progression opportunities and work/life balance.

James Baxter, editor of Legal Business said: “This is a big headache for law firms. It is commonly accepted that when attrition rates hit 20-25 per cent the service offered to clients suffers.

“Some firms losing up to 30 per cent of their lawyers each year. Take into account the cost and effort of recruiting to simply replace and it is easy to see why this is now the most important issue facing law firms.”

Law firms have traditionally approached this problem in three different ways – promote their commitment to work/life balance, introduce new career paths that will help progression, or offer more generous salaries.

“Our survey shows that law firms should focus their energy and efforts on the first, work harder at the second and leave the third alone,” Mr Baxter said.

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