17/06/2026
New Zealand’s legal job market is hot – but the real story is the export of our best younger talent to London.
LawFuel’s latest reporting shows that many large and boutique NZ firms are chasing the same cohort that elite US and Magic Circle firms in London are targeting and the pay gap is brutal.
While strong mid‑level lawyers here might see total packages in the NZD 120k–130k range, top US firms in London are paying NQs around £170k–£180k and 3PQE associates on base salaries reported as high as £240k (before bonuses).
Local firms simply cannot compete at that level.
The result is a widening 3–4 PQE “hole” in New Zealand teams especially in disputes, banking and finance, corporate and employment, as lawyers jump for big‑ticket international work and eye‑watering compensation.
For many, London is becoming a deliberate career stage: do two to five years, bank the experience (and the cash), then return to NZ as a premium candidate for senior private practice or in‑house roles.
For NZ firms if you cannot match the money, you have to win on something else: flexibility, culture, genuine progression, secondments and a clear re‑entry path for returning London alumni.
Those who move fastest on that front will be the ones who still have a mid‑level bench in five years’ time.
Are more résumés heading to London, or smarter retention strategies emerging?
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