Q3 Regional Legal Finance Market Insight

As we move through the final quarter of the year, the legal finance market outside of London continues to show strong momentum, with law firms actively investing in both commercial and operational finance functions across their regional offices.

Commercial Finance in Demand

From our conversations, there’s a clear and continued focus on commercial finance roles, particularly across FP&A and Finance Business Partnering. Firms are seeking professionals who can deliver strategic insight, drive performance, and partner effectively with senior stakeholders. These roles are increasingly open to candidates based outside of London, reflecting a shift in hiring strategy and a desire to tap into broader talent pools.

We have also seen more flexibility from Hiring Managers on industry sectors, whilst there will always be a preference for previous legal sector experience, more and more firms are now open to exploring talent from wider professional services and sometimes even further afield, with big 4 trained Audit Managers being in particular demand.

Operational Roles on the Rise

The billing market remains particularly active, with firms focusing on bolstering their eBilling teams to support growing client demands and improve process efficiency. The markets outside of London are more open to considering those with experience from outside of the legal sector, however, the eBilling space is one where the need for legal systems experience is still essential, hence making this a challenging space to recruit.

Salaries outside of London are also becoming more competitive in this space, particularly to promote lateral moves. We’re also seeing a notable increase in hiring across accounts payable, cashiering, revenue, and credit control, especially in regional hubs.

Regional Expansion Plans

Excitingly, several firms have shared plans to expand their finance teams in regional offices, with particular focus on Bristol, Leeds, Manchester, and Birmingham. This includes both new roles and replacements, with many firms now open to hiring candidates based in any of their UK offices - not just London.

Candidate Market Remains Passive

Despite the volume of roles, the market remains passive, especially for candidates with legal sector experience. Active job seekers are limited, meaning successful recruitment relies heavily on targeted outreach and strong employer branding. Where we’re seeing real success is through deep partnerships with clients, allowing us to understand the role, team dynamics, and growth opportunities - key factors in attracting top talent.

Q4 Outlook

The outlook for Q4 is positive. Hiring activity remains strong, and there are no signs of slowdown across commercial or operational finance. For firms looking to hire and candidates considering a move, now is an excellent time to explore opportunities - particularly in the regions, where demand is growing, hybrid working offers more flexibility than London and salaries are increasingly becoming more competitive.

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​About the author

Reena Dayal is an experienced Legal Finance recruiterspecialising in permanent roles from entry level positions to CFOs. We take great pride in our professional, consultative approach and manage the recruitment processes for Top 100 Law Firms in London, including Magic Circle Law Firms. Our Consultants are experts in the Legal sector and are able to offer market insights and analysis on trends.