Losing Your Mid-Levels? It Might Not Be the Market — It Might Be Your Structure

​If your firm is struggling to hold onto 3–6 PQE lawyers right now, you're not alone.

Across the legal industry, there’s a growing gap at the mid-level — and it's only getting wider.

Why?

Because your mid-levels are packing their bags and heading off to London, Sydney, Singapore — chasing lifestyle, experience, and progression.

But let’s be honest: most of these moves aren’t just about adventure.
They’re about frustration.

• Vague or unclear career paths

• A lack of mentoring or meaningful stretch

• No clear sense of “what’s next”

• Feeling taken for granted after years of loyalty and hard work

And when you layer that over attractive international salaries and a booming overseas market?
It’s no surprise that top talent is walking out the door.

What Can Firms Do?

You may not be able to stop every international move — and nor should you try to.
But you can slow the tide.

• Create clear progression frameworks. Make it obvious what good looks like and what it leads to.

• Check in before they check out. Exit interviews are too late — start with regular, meaningful career conversations.

• Offer structured return pathways. Not everyone wants to stay overseas forever. Make it easy — and attractive — to come back.

• Start treating your future Partners like future Partners — now. That means challenge, autonomy, recognition, and support.

Because if you don’t?
You’re not just losing good people.
You’re losing your pipeline of future leaders.

And rebuilding that pipeline is far harder — and more expensive — than retaining the talent you’ve already invested in.

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Need a strategy for retention and return? Let’s talk.
It’s a conversation worth having — and I’m here for it.