Q3 Legal Finance Interim Market Insights

​As we wrap up Q3, the contract market continues to mirror the steady pace we saw in Q2—both in terms of job volume and candidate interest. However, this quarter has brought some unexpected role types to the surface, driven by shifting team needs, restructures, and evolving hiring strategies.

Contracting Landscape:

We’ve seen a notable uptick in clients open to contract and temporary hiring, with candidates equally receptive to exploring these opportunities. While fixed-term contracts remain the preferred route, there’s growing interest in temporary hires and even ‘temp-to-perm’ models—particularly across Finance Operations. This reflects a broader shift toward agility in workforce planning, especially during periods of change or increased workload.

Finance Operations: Returns of the All-Rounder:

One of the more interesting developments this quarter has been the resurgence of all-rounder finance operations roles. Traditionally, as firms scale, roles become more specialised—but we’ve seen a number of clients actively seeking professionals with broad experience across billing, revenue, AP, and cashiering. These roles are typically designed to support peak periods and offer candidates a chance to get involved across multiple functions. The challenge? The talent pool is limited, as many professionals have developed more niche skill sets. For those with versatile experience, however, these roles present exciting, hands-on opportunities.

Partnership Tax – Still in High Demand:

Partnership tax remains one of the busiest and most challenging areas to recruit for. Demand spans all levels—from junior to senior—and while some roles have emerged due to backfills, others are the result of team restructures or additional headcount. The niche nature of partnership tax continues to limit the candidate pool, pushing firms to be more flexible on working patterns, salary expectations, and part-time arrangements in order to secure the right talent.

As we look ahead to Q4, it will be interesting to see whether the appetite for contract flexibility and all-rounder finance roles continues—and how firms adapt to the ongoing challenges in specialist areas like partnership tax.

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About the author

Ummara Qureshi is a legal finance & accounting recruiter specialising in contract and temporary assignments. Ummara is committed to finding legal finance professionals roles that align with their expertise and career aspirations. If you are ready to explore contract opportunities in legal finance and accounting, get in touch today!

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