Portrait and key figures of the legal professions in Canada: average salaries, working conditions and benefits, distribution and types of contracts, ….
SALARIES – LAWYER
| Small law firm | Midsize law firm | Large law firm | |
|---|---|---|---|
| First year | 62 250 $ | 84 250 $ | 123 750 $ |
| 1-3 years experience | 66 500 $ | 94 250 $ | 120 500$ |
| 4-9 years experience | 114 750 $ | 146 250 $ | 173 750 $ |
| 10-12 years experience | 146 000 $ | 187 750 $ | 249 500 $ |
Source : Salary Guide 2017 / Robert Half Legal
PRACTICE AREA IN DEMAND IN THE NEXT YEARS
To the question ‘Which on of the following practice areas will offer the greatest number of job opportunities at your law firm or company in Canada in the next two years’, 150 lawyers among the largest companies and law firms in Canada answered:
- 36%: General business/corporate law
- 31% : Litigation
- 7% : Intellectual property
- 4%: Privacy, data security and information law
- 3%: Real estate
Source: Robert Half Legal survey 2017
BREAKDOWN BY AGE
Most judges, lawyers and notaries are betweeen 25 and 54 years of age. Given the number of years of study required before starting a legal career, it is rare to find people younger than 24 occupying these positions.
PART-TIME WORK & INDEPENDANT WORKERS
Law firms and legal departments are increasingly offering flexible hours to attract and retain their legal staff, who enjoy a work-life balance. The rate of part-time workers is 6% for legal professionals (including judges). Across all sectors, the Canadian average is 12%.
The self-employment rate is about 50%, a proportion that has not changed since 1997. All sectors combined, the national average is 8%.
70% of lawyers recognize that they do not hesitate to employ consultants to work on specific projects, for which it is sometimes difficult to find qualified and specialized professionals.
DETAIL OF WORKING CONDITIONS
- 1% of legal professionals are under 24 years old.
- 81% of them are between 25 and 54 years old.
The average retirement age for legal professionals is 67, a figure higher than the national average of 62 years.
Among the most popular initiatives, in addition to the salary or bonus, professionals in the sector give priority to:
- Challenges and variety of work (39%)
- Professional development opportunities (29%)
- Flexible work arrangement (13%)
- Good corporate culture/work (6%)