When London Law Firms Go Global

How global expansion is reshaping legal jobs in London and the way firms recruit

Walk through any London law firm right now and you’ll hear the same things being discussed between meetings. Talk of overseas offices. New mandates in the Middle East. Quiet conversations about who might be moving.

This isn’t just watercooler gossip.

HSBC UK’s latest sector research shows 45% of law firms are actively targeting international expansion, with the Middle East and North America the main targets. Moves like Gowling WLG’s Riyadh expansion reflect a wider push into new markets.

But here’s the part rarely spelt out. When London law firms go international, it doesn’t just change where they operate. It changes what happens here, on the ground, for lawyers building their careers and for the people hiring them.

So let’s look at what’s already affecting legal jobs in the city and how firms and legal employment agencies in London think about recruitment.

Same Office. Two Career Paths

You can already feel the split starting to form. Not between firms. Between lawyers.

There’s a growing divide between those plugged into international workstreams and those still focused purely on London or UK-based matters. Both paths are valid. But they are starting to lead to very different careers.

London-Focused vs Global-Focused Career Paths

For some lawyers, this move towards world-wide operations brings visibility, international clients and faster exposure. For others, a London-focused route offers depth, longer client relationships and stronger UK specialism.

Where it gets tricky is trying to sit in the middle. Being half plugged into global work and half committed to a London-focused track can start to muddy your profile. Not quite international. Not quite specialised.

In a market that’s becoming more defined, clarity helps. The lawyers standing out tend to be the ones who make a conscious choice early, because recruitment, progression and internal visibility usually follow.

What London Law Firms Are Starting to Look For

This outward expansion is quietly influencing what London firms now value in candidates. Not just at partner level. At associate and senior associate level too.

It’s no longer just about PQE or a tidy CV. Firms growing internationally are looking for lawyers who can operate across borders without missing a step. 

That change is already showing up in conversations with legal recruitment agencies. London hiring briefs are starting to sound less traditional and more strategic.

They want lawyers who are comfortable working with international teams across different schedules, working styles and expectations.

They are placing more value on cross-jurisdiction exposure. Not necessarily living abroad but having experience on matters spanning multiple regions. Middle East transactions. Cross-border disputes in Asia. International arbitration. And it’s not just the Middle East. Moves by firms like Freshfields, which recently opened a new office in Boston, show how seriously London law firms are now treating North America as a growth market.

And increasingly, they are looking for lawyers with broader commercial judgement. Not just technical accuracy. But an understanding of how global clients think, decide and take risks.

In short, the modern “strong London candidate” looks slightly different to how they did five or ten years ago.

The Skills Now Carrying More Weight

Knowing what firms want is one thing. Showing you fit it is another.

Here’s what’s actually cutting through on CVs and at interview right now, based on what’s coming through legal recruitment agencies in London.

Firms are responding to candidates who can show:

• Experience on international client work, not just UK-only matters
   
• Involvement in multi-jurisdiction projects or deals
   
• Comfort working across different time zones and remote teams
   
• Evidence of understanding different regulatory or commercial environments
   
• Strong communication in cross-cultural settings
   
• An ability to adapt quickly to new clients, markets and working styles
   

Not perfect experience. Just credible signs of it.

Saying you’re interested in international work is common. Preparation is what actually makes people listen.

That could be secondments, global clients, arbitration exposure, or taking on multi-office projects while staying based in London.

Not all law jobs in London require relocation. But it does require intent and a bit of planning.

Where This Is Showing Up Most in Practice Areas

The London legal jobs market isn’t moving in one direction or at one pace.

Some areas are being pulled into global work faster than others. International arbitration and disputes are one such example, with firms like Stephenson Harwood strengthening their Middle East foothold. With London still central to international disputes and activity across the region, demand for lawyers at London law recruitment agencies and law firms with cross-border and multi-jurisdiction experience is increasing.

Corporate and project finance teams are seeing it too. Especially those working on infrastructure, energy and large investment projects linked to international capital. Technology, data and IP are shifting as clients operate more globally, and firms invest more in digital capability.

There’s a knock-on effect in-house as well. As firms follow clients into new markets, multinational businesses are building stronger global legal teams. That’s increasing demand for lawyers with cross-border experience both in private practice and in-house.

It doesn’t mean other areas are fading away. Private clients, employment, regulatory and real estate still anchor much of the London market. But outward expansion is starting to tilt demand towards practice areas that naturally span borders.

How Hiring Teams Are Starting to Adapt

This isn’t only reshaping candidates. It’s altering how London firms hire too. Recruitment teams are no longer just filling gaps. They’re thinking further ahead. Beyond the immediate role and beyond the London office.

Expansion abroad is forcing hiring managers to ask different questions at interview. Not just about technical ability, but about adaptability, commercial judgement and long-term fit within a global structure.

We’re seeing hiring briefs become more layered too. Roles that once sat neatly within one office now sit across teams, jurisdictions and international offices.

That changes what firms value in recruitment partners too. Legal recruitment agencies in London are being asked to do more than match CVs to job descriptions. They’re being asked to advise on market shifts, talent availability and how to build teams that can work across borders without losing what makes the London office strong.

There’s also more emphasis on retention. If firms are investing in global talent, they’re thinking harder about how to keep it. Career progression. International secondments. Longer-term development plans.

Expansion isn’t just about hiring more people. It’s about hiring differently.

The New Reality for London Legal Careers

Global expansion is no longer a side story for London firms.

It’s becoming the backdrop.

For lawyers, it’s reshaping what progression looks like. Not just where you work, but how you’re seen, what you’re known for, and how transferable your experience will be five or ten years from now.

For hiring teams and legal job agencies in London, it’s changing how talent needs to be sourced, assessed and retained. What worked even a few years ago won’t necessarily work now. The market is more layered. More international. More competitive.

Global expansion won’t lift every career. For some lawyers it will create opportunity. For others, it will expose limits. This direction of travel will reward clarity and punish hesitation.

Ignoring this change won’t protect your career. Engaging with it might.

Because this isn’t just London law firms going global. London careers are being redefined.

Whether you’re planning your next move or shaping your next hire, we’re happy to talk it through. No spin. Just real market insight.

For a deeper look at London’s legal jobs market from different angles read these: 

https://www.jmc-legal.com/resources/blog/greater-london-could-be-your-best-legal-career-step-yet/

https://www.jmc-legal.com/resources/blog/what-its-really-like-to-train-at-a-us-law-firm-in-london/

https://www.jmc-legal.com/resources/blog/corporate-law-salaries-in-london-2025/