Major law firms in Australia continue to thrive despite economic uncertainty, fuelled by the resurgence of deals, the energy transition, interest rates stabilising and investor confidence rebounding. While the previous year saw fluctuating performance, FY 2024 has brought a sustained surge in demand, reshaping recruitment dynamics and driving increased opportunities and salaries for top legal talent.
Salary gaps between top-tier and mid-tier law firms have narrowed in recent years. While top-tier firms have offered increases of 5–7%, national and mid-tier firms have implemented more aggressive rises of 15–20% to attract and retain talent. Despite these shifts, an average gap of around 10% still persists between the two tiers. Heading further into 2025, counteroffers and salary bidding wars are increasingly common in a competitive market place, particularly for mid-level and senior associates.
In our latest salary guide discover salary offers presented in recent months, as well as:
