Legal Recruitment Agency

Robert Walters is one of the leading legal recruitment agencies in Australia, connecting organisations with exceptional legal talent that deliver specialist expertise, commercial insight, and long-term strategic value. With offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, we provide local market knowledge with national reach.

Specialist legal recruitment for Australian employers

As a specialist legal recruitment agency, we've helped law firms and in-house legal teams hire since 1996, from paralegals and legal secretaries through to senior associates, partners and general counsel. Our consultants recruit across all major practice areas, including corporate and M&A, banking and finance, property, litigation and disputes, employment, tax, insurance, and regulatory and compliance.

Our consultants work closely with private practice, and in-house teams, so they understand how legal hiring works in each and what it takes to secure strong candidates. We partner with boutique and top tier firms, ASX-listed companies and major financial institutions on permanent, contract and interim hires.

Looking to hire

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The roles we specialise in

Robert Walters recruits across a wide range of legal roles including:

Lawyer
Solicitor
Legal Counsel
Senior Legal Counsel
General Counsel

Partner
Special Counsel
Senior Associate
Associate
Paralegal

Legal Secretary
Legal Assistant
Law Clerk
Senior Regulator
Legal Advisor

Tailored solutions for your business

Our specialist legal recruiters understand what sets strong candidates apart, know how each role differs and where it fits, whether that's a lawyer or paralegal in a law firm, a senior associate in private practice, or general counsel in-house. As technology and AI change how legal work gets done, we also help clients identify the skills their teams will need next.

Here's what sets our approach apart:

Specialist consultants with strong legal expertise, from paralegal through to partner-level hires
Focused shortlists of candidates matched to your brief
Access a global network of legal talent
Up-to-date, data-led market analysis on legal salaries, billing rates and hiring trends
A service which spans permanent, contract, interim and executive search
Thorough screening and reference checking processes

We are trusted partners

Take a look at how we’ve helped our clients solve hiring challenges and build strong teams.

"Jolie consistently goes above and beyond to keep me updated, has provided me with great candidates for my roles, she is passionate, engaging, listens to the brief and feedback is genuine and really great to work with."

Maddocks

Talent Acquisiton Manager

Client

"Jack is a committed, friendly guy who goes the extra length to ensure that he can find the right role for any particular candidate. He kept in constant contact throughout the recruitment process and took time out to meet up with me and ensure that the proposed roles aligned with my preference. Couldn't imagine a better experience in finding a new job and I'm happy to report that Olsen Lawyers is a great fit!"

Alex Stewart

Olsen Lawyers

Property Lawyer

Candidate

"Jolie was incredibly friendly, attentive, and thoughtful throughout the entire process. Jolie took the time to truly understand my career goals and preferences, providing valuable insights and support every step of the way. I always felt like a priority, and her professionalism and dedication made a big difference. I highly recommend Jolie to anyone looking for a recruiter who goes above and beyond!"

Kim Burke

Masselos & Co Lawyers

Legal Secretary

Candidate

"Aya was wonderful to work with, we started working together on one role when she saw that I had advertised a second position that she had suitable candidates for. We ended up recruiting 3 solicitors of different levels of seniority with Robert Walters through Aya and we couldn't be more grateful for her responsiveness, assistance and understanding of our needs. We will definitely use Robert Walters and Aya again in the future."

Thynne & Macartney

HR Manager

Client

"Aya from Robert Walters was fantastic to work with. I was looking to move interstate, and Aya offered valuable options and advice, and managed to secure a fantastic opportunity in my new city that met all my expectations and more. She kept me engaged and updated through the process. This ultimately made the transition interstate so much easier. I’m very happy with the outcome and I highly recommend Aya."

Georgia Bailey

Carbone Lawyers

Associate - Personal Injury

Candidate

"Aya Gould made the entire recruitment experience seamless from start to finish. As my first time engaging a recruiter, she simplified the process, liaised with my new employer, answered many questions I had throughout the process, and provided me with sound reassurance I was making the right move. I couldn't have asked for a better experience with a recruiter and I am very fortunate to have worked with Aya. Could not recommend her more for anyone else looking for their next role."

Mitchell Lau

Hicksons

Special Counsel - Insurance

Candidate

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Secure top talent for your next hire

Let us connect you with the talent that can take your business forward.

Submit your legal vacancy here

Partnerships with purpose

We partner with organisations who give us the tools to do more and help us create meaningful pathways for diverse and underrepresented talent across the legal profession:

Souths Cares
Supply Nation
Recruitment, Consulting & Staffing Association (RCSA)
Career Trackers

Explore our partnerships

Which industries do we recruit legal talent for?

Legal teams depend on the right people to deliver for their clients and business. Our consultants bring deep knowledge of the legal sector and how firms and in-house teams operate, so we can connect legal professionals with the right opportunities across a wide range of environments.

Private practice:

We work with top tier, international, mid-tier, national and boutique firms and gain a strong understanding of each clients’ business to source the most suitable legal talent.

In-house financial services:

Our team provides legal talent across all areas of the financial services industry and are a ‘tier one’ supplier to several major financial institutions.

In-house commerce:

We partner with leading ASX listed companies, multinationals operating in Australia, privately owned companies, family companies, educational organisations and not-for-profits.

Looking to hire

Our specialist consultants across Australia

Our legal recruiters in Sydney bring close ties to the legal market and a single, consistent approach to hiring across the country. We understand how the legal landscape varies from state to state, so whether you're filling one position or building out a team across several locations, you can count on the same high standard of service and a fast path to the right hire.

Looking to hire

Search for roles

Get the industry insider's insight:

Our 2026 Australian Legal Market Overview explores salary bands, mobility patterns and what is driving legal talent decisions right now.

Download it here

Meet your expert legal recruiters

Our track record

43k

Professionals we help start their next chapter
85%

Of professionals refer us to a friend
11k

Organisations who we help acquire talent
90%

Of organisations recruit more than one role through us

Latest Jobs

Recruitment Insights

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Hiring advice

Australian Legal Market Overview 2026

Australia's legal market continues to evolve as employers compete for experienced talent in an increasingly selective hiring environment. The Robert Walters Australian Legal Market Overview 2026 combines exclusive survey insights from more than 400 legal professionals across private practice and in-

Leadership

Soft skills guide for hiring managers

Discover how to build a high-performing team with our e-guide on mastering soft skills. In the fast-evolving workplace, soft skills have become the cornerstone of success for high-performing teams. As AI reshapes industries, the ability to communicate, adapt, and lead effectively has never been more

Hiring advice

Fostering development within an in-house legal team

In this instalment of "The Evolving Role of In-House Legal," join us for a dialogue with Peter Koutsoukos, Damien Harby, Janelle Borlace and Ryan White, as we delve into the shifting duties of in-house lawyers amid the evolving legal landscape. We'll discuss the vital skills needed, particularly in

What is your process for vetting and screening potential candidates?

Our established screening process ensures candidates are matched with the right opportunity.

With any candidate, our legal recruitment consultants have an initial screening call, then a detailed interview to assess their background, motivations and long-term career goals. To avoid unconscious bias, we anonymise CVs and focus on skills rather than background.

We have access to testing platforms to create bespoke screening processes which can include aptitude, behavioural and technical testing.
Can Robert Walters provide advice on current salary ranges in Australia?

Yes. You can find job market insights, hiring advice and salary trends with our industry-leading Salary Survey guide. Access the guide here.

For bespoke insights, our in-house market intelligence team provides a salary benchmarking service. Salary benchmarking can support your attraction and retention strategy by giving you unbiased data, tailored to the needs of your business.

Request a sample report to find out more.
What is the difference between a permanent and a contract legal hire?

A permanent hire is the right choice when you're building lasting legal capability. If you need someone who will grow with your firm or business, retain institutional knowledge and take ownership of a practice function over time, such as a Senior Associate or in-house Legal Counsel, permanent is the way to go. It works best when the role is central to how your legal work is delivered, rather than linked to a particular matter or a defined period of need.

Contract and interim roles are a better fit when demand rises and falls. That might mean extra capacity during a major transaction or a heavy litigation period, or cover for parental leave so your team keeps running without disruption. Contractors are engaged and paid through us, so we take care of payroll, superannuation and compliance while they work with you. Many clients combine both approaches, keeping a permanent core team and bringing in contract talent as workloads change, so they're never stretched thin when it's busy or carrying excess capacity when it's quiet.
Which skills are in demand right now in the legal industry?

Demand in the legal market is being driven by technical expertise and commercial capability. Employers want strong commercial and corporate, employment and workplace relations, and disputes experience, while regulatory, compliance, privacy and data protection skills are sought after in regulated sectors. Equally critical are commercial awareness, communication, business partnering and confidence with legal technology and AI. Our 2026 Salary Guide shows hiring demand for legal professionals is very high, with Senior Associates, Associates and Legal Counsel most sought after. Our consultants can advise which skills to prioritise and what that means for salary benchmarks and time to hire.

Legal Recruitment Agency

Specialist legal recruitment for Australian employers

The roles we specialise in

Robert Walters recruits across a wide range of legal roles including:

Tailored solutions for your business

Here's what sets our approach apart:

We are trusted partners

Secure top talent for your next hire

Partnerships with purpose

Which industries do we recruit legal talent for?

Private practice:

In-house financial services:

In-house commerce:

Our specialist consultants across Australia

Get the industry insider's insight:

Meet your expert legal recruiters

Our track record

Latest Jobs

Recruitment Insights

FAQs

What is your process for vetting and screening potential candidates?

Can Robert Walters provide advice on current salary ranges in Australia?

What is the difference between a permanent and a contract legal hire?

Which skills are in demand right now in the legal industry?