If you’ve spent any time reading the legal press over the last year, you’ll have seen plenty of headlines about rising salaries, talent shortages, and changing expectations.
But salary figures alone rarely tell the full story.
That’s one of the reasons we’ve launched our 2026/27 Private Client Salary Guide.
Built using our annual research, placement data, and conversations with Private Client lawyers across the North West, the guide is designed to help lawyers understand not just what people are earning, but why.
The gap is widening
One of the clearest findings is the growing divide between different parts of the market.
While traditional Private Client teams continue to offer steady salary progression, national and commercially focused firms are increasingly paying salaries comparable to commercial practice areas, particularly within high-net-worth, trusts, and tax work.
Career decisions are becoming more balanced
Salary remains important.
But increasingly, lawyers are weighing financial reward against flexibility, progression, leadership, and overall quality of life.
Many of the lawyers we speak to aren’t necessarily looking to move immediately. They simply want to understand whether their current role still aligns with their priorities.
Court of Protection remains a market of its own
The data also highlights significant variation within Court of Protection.
Health and welfare-focused work tends to sit at one end of the spectrum, while catastrophic injury deputyship work often commands a significant premium.
Download the guide
The guide explores:
- Salary benchmarks by PQE
- Court of Protection trends
- Benefits and flexibility data
- What Private Client lawyers really value
