The Missing Middle: Why Mid-Level Hiring Is Broken
The “missing middle” isn’t new, but it has become significantly more pronounced in recent years.
The difficulty in recruiting Associates (3–5 PQE) and Senior Associates (5–8 PQE) remains the top challenge for 68% of firms. While demand for this cohort hasn’t changed, supply has tightened, and the reasons behind it are more complex than a typical talent shortage.
What Firms Are Looking For
Firms are increasingly seeking mid-level lawyers who can run files with minimal supervision, support and mentor junior lawyers, contribute to client relationships, and maintain strong billables while developing commercial awareness.
The challenge is that lawyers who can do all of the above are already employed, highly valued, and not actively looking. This has become a largely passive candidate market, with strong candidates often off the market within days.
Why the Gap Is Widening
Several factors are contributing to the shrinking mid-level pool:
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Post-COVID impact
Following border reopenings, many lawyers move overseas, while reduced graduate intakes and delayed admissions during COVID are now being felt at the mid-level. -
The “Big Stay”
Many lawyers simply aren’t moving. With competitive salaries, hybrid working now standard, and ongoing economic uncertainty, candidates are prioritising stability and job security. Unless a role offers a clear and meaningful step forward, the question becomes: why leave? Read our article on the Big Stay in the Legal Practice Intelligence. -
In-house movement
More lawyers are transitioning in-house, attracted by predictable hours, no billables, and closer involvement in commercial decision-making. For many, the trade-off is no longer compelling enough to remain in private practice, particularly during peak-pressure years when billable hours and business-development expectations increase.
A Market Moving Faster Than Firms
Another challenge is speed.
Strong mid-level candidates are receiving multiple approaches and offers quickly. However, hiring processes often haven’t adapted. Delays in interviews, decision-making, or internal approvals are costing firms talent.
In a market where candidates move in days, not weeks, slow processes are a key reason roles remain unfilled.
Expectation vs. Reality
There is also a growing gap between what firms expect and what the market can provide.
Firms are looking for “ready-made” mid-level lawyers, yet many candidates haven’t had the opportunity to develop leadership or client management skills early in their careers.
In some cases, this reflects not a lack of talent but a lack of structured development.
There is also a tendency for firms to apply overly strict hiring criteria, focusing on candidates who meet every requirement. In reality, this often leads to strong talent being overlooked due to minor gaps in experience, further limiting an already constrained market.
What Can Firms Do?
Firms that are successfully navigating this market are doing things differently:
- Moving quickly and decisively in hiring processes
- Clearly articulating salary, benefits, and progression opportunities
- Offering genuine flexibility – not just policy, but practice
- Hiring slightly below the level and investing in development
- Focusing on retention through mentorship and manageable workloads
Final Thoughts
The missing middle is not just a hiring challenge; it is a structural one. This problem may only get bigger as the number of graduates hired by firms is under threat from AI. Firms that rely solely on lateral hiring will continue to face the same constraints. Those who focus on developing, retaining, and genuinely differentiating themselves, or who are open to hiring for attitude and training for skill, will be better positioned to close the gap.
