13/07/2026
☀️ Summer in the City ☀️
As the heatwave continues, we've been reflecting on the fantastic evening spent at the Fides Search & Laurence Simons Summer Party in Shoreditch.
The evening was an excellent reminder of what sits at the core of everything we do: bringing the right people together and enriching careers.
A particular highlight was hearing from Ed Parker and Clare Beresford, who explored some of the major forces currently shaping the legal market.
One observation that resonated throughout the evening was that retention is no longer an HR footnote, but now a line in the budget. As competition for talent intensifies, US firms continue to push compensation levels higher, and firms across the market are being forced to think differently about attracting and keeping their best people.
AI's influence on the legal workforce was another major talking point. As routine junior work becomes increasingly automated, firms are investing more heavily in experienced lawyers who can deliver immediate value, while junior hiring slows. While this may improve efficiency in the short term, it raises important questions about how firms will develop the next generation of leaders when the traditional training ground for future partners is becoming smaller.
From the in-house perspective, Clare highlighted the growing demand for what are increasingly being described as techno-regulatory hybrids, professionals capable of navigating algorithmic accountability, data sovereignty and cross border resilience simultaneously. As new regulations continue to emerge, these highly specialised skill sets are becoming both more critical and more difficult to find.
Another topic that generated significant discussion was the success rate of senior lateral hires. As Ed and Clare pointed out, half of senior hires don't work out. That number isn't fate; it's a function of how the decision was made. In a market where speed is often prioritised, the ability to conduct effective due diligence and make informed hiring decisions has never been more important.
A huge thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make the event such a success. We look forward to sharing more insights from the evening in the coming weeks.
Whether you're considering your next move in Private Practice or In-House, or simply want to be on the guest list for next year's summer soirée 🌞, we'd love to hear from you.
📩 Get in touch with Edward Parker or Clare Beresford
Big thanks to Ollie Blythe
