New data from our research team points to a clear trend in the skills leading firms are currently investing in to support their business. Over the last three months, 16% of our enquiries have been for Risk & Compliance (R&C) roles*, a marked uplift which has made R&C the highest-volume desk across our specialist recruitment hubs right now.
Why the uplift?
Today’s R&C teams are dealing with everything from financial crime and to conflicts to international operations, at a time when Financial Conducts Authority (FCA) requirements have placed greater emphasis on the safeguarding of client assets and protections against consumer harm, as well as AML controls and sanctions risk.
Getting these critical areas wrong can have irrevocable consequences for a business and their reputation, relationships and revenue. This is true for law firms handling sensitive information across multiple jurisdictions and especially following the Solicitors Regulation Authority's (SRA) quick response to tightened FCA standards.
It’s little surprise that we’re seeing more legal decisionmakers invest in the people and expertise needed to navigate this growing remit. Although there's a real opportunity for hiring firms to strengthen their R&C functions with exceptional talent, engaging this market requires careful consideration and strategy.
Solving your R&C talent challenge
When demand rises quickly in any area of a business, employers face the same challenge: how to secure the people you need, when the market is moving fast and competition is intense? When sourcing R&C candidates, who currently have competing firms vying for their expertise, it's essential to be clear on the capability you’re building, while also having a compelling enough opportunity to give them a reason to move.
This is prevalent in my conversations with UK and U.S. firms, who I work alongside to map where their R&C function needs to grow, the expertise that will make the biggest difference, and how to reach the people who can bring it to life – and these strategies are a strong starting point
Shift from reactive hiring to early engagement
When an emerging requirement expands across an entire industry, experienced candidates find themselves with options and so staying aware of wider market moves and engaging strong talent before a hiring need becomes acute (especially in critical areas like R&C) gives hiring firms a major advantage. Our intel adds significant value to clients in this way; as well as helping them fill an immediate role, we advise on movement across the market, including within each niche function, helping them to stay ahead and make informed decisions.
Build a compelling narrative
In a tight talent market, our people-first approach can be invaluable. We work to understand the personal motivations of each candidate as well as their ambitions, values and needs, so that we can shortlist them to hiring firms who we know they align well with.
This is how successful matches are made, but it also means we can provide clients with deeper insight into the candidate and help them craft offers which will appeal to the individual. This is about your Employee Value Proposition, too. Candidates want to understand the values and motivations of their prospective employer and see clear scope for impact and growth. The more hiring teams can assert this when sourcing their R&C talent, the better positioned you will be to secure people with the tools you need to stay ahead.
Pitch the offer right
Compensation is still really important to candidates, but getting this right often requires trusted market intel and data. With demand for experienced R&C professionals growing and the pool of candidates with the right sector and technical expertise still relatively small, firms need to be realistic about where their offer sits in the market.
That doesn't necessarily mean paying over the odds, but it does mean understanding what comparable firms are offering and where you have flexibility to make the overall opportunity more attractive. As recruiters, we ensure timely, tailored and transparent offer management, so that our clients secure the candidates they want with offers that hit the sweet spot.
Salary is also only part of the conversation, though. For senior R&C professionals in particular, scope, influence, flexibility and the opportunity to shape a growing function can all play a meaningful role in a decision to move.
Hire for strategic influence as well as technical skill
When niche functions diversify, the leadership requirements around them naturally need to grow too. Across R&C, there has been a rise in requests for senior leaders, people with the skills to navigate the task at hand as well as to lead, integrate the function into the wider business and shape its direction. When defining senior opportunities, it's worth hiring firms giving R&C leaders a real seat at the table.
The continued growth of R&C reflects how critical the function has become to modern law firms, and we can certainly expect this investment in specialist talent to remain a key priority. If you’re thinking about your firm’s R&C structure, I’d be very happy to have a conversation and discuss what we’re seeing across the market and how we can help you find the right people for your team.
If you’re an R&C professional thinking about your next move, I’d love to hear from you too! We’re working with excellent firms and have highly interesting opportunities on right now, so do get in touch.
Authored by Karen Dancel, Senior Legal Consultant. Karen has extensive experience supporting leading U.S., UK and Intl. law firms and specialises in placing Risk & Compliance talent.
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References:
*Ryder Reid Legal research department data, August 2026
*FCA regulations
*SRA regulations