UK legal firms’ workloads and headcounts are set to rise as a result of Brexit, according to a recent survey from legal recruitment specialist Clayton Legal.

 The survey showed that 62% of respondents indicated that they anticipate workload will increase in at least one of their specialisms now that the government has announced a date to trigger Article 50. While 87% of law firms anticipate overall headcount will either stay the same or increase, in part as a result of the anticipated increase in workload.

Meanwhile, 45% of respondents believe demand will increase in at least two or more specialisms, while 35% indicated that they expect a rise in workload across three or more areas and one in four report an expected increase in demand across four or more specialisms.

The survey also revealed a strong correlation between specialisms closely impacted by EU level legislation and overall hiring sentiment.  Professionals working within EU Law and Financial Services are predicting headcount to rise or stay the same (90% and 83% respectively).

“Despite some commentators expressing concerns over the potential impact Brexit could have on demand for legal services in the UK, it is clear, in the short term at least, that law firms expect workload to increase,” Managing Director of Clayton Legal, Lynn Sedgwick, said. “And while it’s perhaps unsurprising that firms expect to increase their headcount due to a rise in workload, it’s certainly a positive sign of strength within the profession. Though it remains difficult to ascertain the long term implications of such an unprecedented political shift, the outlook for the rest of year and beyond certainly seems positive for legal profession and firms alike.”