b'10 Local Government LawyerTable 2: What are your three biggest management challenges in the foreseeable future? The work-life imbalanceFor years, local governments answer to the gulf in pay between it and the private sector Recruitment and retention 27% 76% was its work-life balance proposition. But even 43%7% that edge is disappearing. 73% Since we last surveyed Heads of Legal 32% in 2019, this imbalance in working culture Cost control/budgetary issues 28%13%43% between the two sectors is no longer as Lack of experience/resource5% 16% evident now that firms are more likely to have in client departments 21% adopted work from home practices. Growing the role and influence of the legal 1% 16% A number of respondents expressed department within the council 5% 9% concern over this trend. One noted that the 3% 15% private sector has begun offering a better Maintaining staff morale 3% 9% work-life balance than it used to, meaning the 15% pool of candidates [in local government] gets 5%Defending the legal department from cutbacks 3%7% smaller.15% And the work-life balance gap between the 1%Restructuring the legal department 4% two sectors is set to narrow even more in the 9% coming years as getting staff in continues to Constitutional/governance issues 3% 12% be a problem.5%4% This will also be exacerbated by a surge 1% 7% in work, given that nine in 10 heads of legal Dealing with new or unfamiliar areas of law 3%3% predict their departments workload will Implementing new technology 1% 5% increase. These pressures mean that without 0%4% new efficiencies or a miraculous drop in 5% workload, local government is on track to be 0% a less attractive field for legal professionals in Managing external advisers 0%5%5% the coming years.4%Litigation/risk management 1%0% The locum trapDeveloping or expanding the provision of traded 0% 4% In response to the recruitment woes, local 1% government legal teams have become legal services 3%3% dependent on locums, but this short-term fix 0%Managing remote working staff 0%3% is driving a long-term workforce crisis.1% 14% of the legal workforce are now 1% locums- and in extreme cases more than Downsizing the legal department 0%0%half of a councils legal staff are on temporary % included in top ve answers % of 3rd Choice Answers % of 2nd Choice Answers % of 1st Choice Answers contracts.Locums typically earn 50 an hour at a minimum, which would amount to more Public versus private sector By contrast, an entry level qualified lawyerthan 80,000 a year on a 35-hour working The pay gap between private practiceposition at the bi-borough shared legal serviceweek, far outstripping the pay of the average and local government has always beenfor Kensington and Chelsea and Westminsterpermanent lawyer. pronounced and continues to widenbut thepublished in June 2025 on Public Law JobsIn addition, locum agencies typically charge cost-of-living crisis has made the lure of higheroffered a salary of between 41,580anda fee of at least 15%, pushing the costs up salaries in private practice even stronger.45,399 per annum.even further for councils. To add to the problem, while localAnother emerging issue that is now partLocum roles are not just better paid than government once had an edge in work-lifeof the calculation for prospective lawyers ispermanent positions, they also carry a better balance, private practice now offers greaterthe financial crisis that local government iswork-life balancea killer combination for opportunity for hybrid working and flexiblecurrently wrestling with.departments trying to attract people into arrangements. One respondent who complained they hadpermanent roles. At the same time, career progression inno applicants for their roles said: CouncilsUnder this system, councils have created private practice appears more structured,dont score high on employer of choice due toa market where locum roleswhich drain leaving local government struggling to attractfinancial issues and their publicity. legal budgetsare more appealing than new talent. Another meanwhile said their locationpermanent roles.The pay varies wildly in private practice,and limited salary options played into poorAs one head of legal put it: Why wouldnt but the average salary for a newly qualifiedrecruitment performance but added thatyou become a locum? The pay is better, and solicitor is between 72,000 and 180,000the general doom and gloom of working foryou have more flexibility.per annum, according to statistics froma budget-reducing organisation was alsoBut the tide could be turning on the recruitment company Thomson Legal. scaring off potential hires.sectors reliance on locums. Many survey'