Career progression in law explained

How career growth works in law 

Some lawyers move in a relatively straight line through the traditional firm hierarchy: from vacation clerk to graduate to senior practising roles.

For others, a career path takes more turns. For example, some lawyers move between practice, policy, government advisory and consulting roles. They may choose roles for strategic reasons or lifestyle decisions including salary. 

Years of experience are relevant, particularly in the early stages. Most advertised roles will give an expected number of years post-qualification experience (PQE). However to progress from one career stage to another you also need to demonstrate legal expertise, judgement and business skills.  

Career progression at a glance 

The typical stages of a legal career 

Although everyone’s career path is different, there are some common stages. There are also legal requirements. For example, admission rules will require a minimum period of supervised practice.  

Paralegal or vacation clerkship  

You’ll probably start out your career as a paralegal or vacation clerk. A clerkship gives you a chance to get a feel for working in the firm. You might help manage client files, meet with clients and attend court, and help with research and drafting. 

Firms often fill their graduate positions from the clerkship program, so a clerkship is an important opportunity to demonstrate your skills.  

Professor Nick James, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Law at Bond University, advises young lawyers early in their careers to find their value:  

“Ask yourself, ‘What do I bring that goes beyond AI? What makes me, as a human lawyer, valued?’ If you’re using AI to do all your work you’ve literally just proven that AI can do your job.” 

Law graduate 

Law firms and government offices often run structured programs for graduates to complete the requirements for admission. Most include rotations through different practice groups. Many offer training in skills such as communication, personal leadership and practical legal skills.  

You will usually spend your first few years as a graduate working under supervision. You will gain more responsibility over time as you get more practice experience.  

Solicitor or associate  

After completing your graduate rotations, you will usually settle into a practice group. Your practice may still be quite varied, or you may be starting to specialise, depending on the structure of the firm.  

Expect to spend the next several years building experience and responsibility, still supported and supervised by more senior lawyers. You might also spend time working in a client’s office on secondment.  

Senior associate 

Senior associates have a leadership role within a practice group, working under the direction of a partner. As a senior associate you take on more responsibility for managing client relationships. You will also manage and report on the progress of matters, delegate and check the work of junior lawyers and act as a mentor and sounding board. 

Senior associate appointments depend on the needs of the firm as well as demonstrated legal and leadership skills. There’s no specific timeframe, but it may be about 5–7 years after admission.  

Special counsel 

In most Australian law firms, the special counsel role sits between senior associates and partners in the firm hierarchy. They have more autonomy than senior associates, but still work with the support of a partner. 

The job description varies. Some special counsel become technical legal specialists rather than pursuing the partnership track. For others, the role is an opportunity to build leadership, management and business development skills before becoming a partner. 

Partner  

Partners are the business owners in a law firm. They are responsible for the legal work of all the lawyers reporting to them. They also need to lead a team, win new client work, manage client relationships, and make financial and business decisions for the firm. 

There is no set timeframe for becoming a partner. There may also be a limit to the number of owners a firm can support, so lawyers may choose to move firms for a partnership opportunity. 

Interested in what a senior role could mean for your salary? Understand law salaries in Australia.

Where can lawyers go as they gain experience? 

Areas of practice 

As a graduate you will usually rotate through different practice areas, learning about different types of work. Some lawyers prefer variety and to keep a broad practice. They may choose to develop deeper expertise working in an industry or with a particular client group. 

Others aim to develop deep expertise in one practice area. This could mean pursuing specialist accreditation through the law society in your jurisdiction, or taking on further academic study.  

Read more about the different law specialisations.

Becoming a barrister 

Lawyers who particularly enjoy litigation may choose to go to the Bar. Most lawyers spend some years getting experience as a solicitor in litigation before applying to become a barrister. First, you need to pass the Bar exams. Then you need to complete another period of study and supervised practice.  

Law firm management 

If you find you enjoy the business and people management aspects of work, you could choose to move into a leadership role within your firm. That needn’t be a permanent career change. In some firms, senior partners will serve as in a management role for a time, then return to leading a practice team.  

Technology  

An interest in technology or data analysis could offer you another career opening. Commercial firms are investing in legal technology services. Some have internal technology teams that provide expert support to other practice areas or directly to clients. Or you could work in a specialist technology business that sells services to law firms.   

Consulting 

Senior lawyers may move from practice roles into consulting or advisory roles. These roles could be part-time and can offer a better work-life balance. 

Research and education 

Having gained practice experience, some lawyers are attracted by the prospect of research or teaching.  

What helps a lawyer advance in their career? 

Being an excellent technical lawyer is only one of the skills that will help you advance your career.  

Catherine Hufton, Head of People and Culture at Sydney commercial firm, Addisons advises graduates to:

Be curious, ask questions, be open, give everything a go – and always keep your appetite for learning.

Continuing legal education 

As a lawyer you need to be able to keep up with changes in the law. You will need to complete continuing professional development (CPD) requirements each year to renew your practising certificate.  

Postgraduate study can be a great way to build expertise and authority in a particular area of law. Law firms will often support additional further education. Provided you can show a business case, you may qualify for financial support for further study.  

Listening and communication skills 

Learning to listen and answer clients’ questions may be the most important skill you develop throughout your career.  

Professor Nick James of Bond University advises students: “Pay really close attention to what you’re being asked for. The most common error students make is thinking they can just throw facts at a question and somehow get the answer.” 

Louisa Jones, Lecturer in Law at the Australian Catholic University, also stresses the importance of communication.

“Whichever space you’re working in, the most important skill for lawyers is being able to communicate effectively with clients in a way that makes them feel valued.” 

Professional judgement and insight 

Lawyers are expected to bring commercial judgement and business acumen, not just give technical legal advice – especially as technology in law becomes more widespread.  

Nick says: “It's the human skills that are going to differentiate lawyers from law bots in the future. So we need to be really focusing more on the interpersonal skills, the strategic thinking, the critical thinking.” 

That’s also the message coming from law firms, says Catherine: “Technology is not going away – you have to work with it. But foundational skills are still important: research skills, good communication, your ability to analyse data and think about what it’s telling you.” 

Your professional network 

Louisa recommends soaking up every opportunity to connect while you are studying:

The networks and connections you build throughout your career are so important as a lawyer. The earlier you can start to build those the better. 

Finding a supportive mentor can also make a huge difference, so it’s worth asking about mentor programs when you’re exploring workplaces. 

Long-term senior opportunities in law  

As you build experience, there are many places your career could take you. 

Partner 

In the past, law firms were not allowed to incorporate, and some firms are still structured as partnerships. Equity partners are co-owners of the firm, which means they take a share of profits and are financially responsible for the firm’s losses. Some firms also have salaried partners. These have the same legal and client relationship responsibilities but do not own a share of the business.  

Partners are responsible for the work of lawyers reporting to them and personally invested in all the business decisions of the firm. That may not suit everyone’s personal or financial situation, so many lawyers take other opportunities to progress. 

Principal lawyer 

Legally, a principal lawyer is someone whose practising certificate authorises them to act as the principal of a law practice. They have similar responsibility for leading and supervising legal teams as partners.

However, they may lead a government legal practice or an incorporated legal practice, or they may be in sole practice.  

General counsel 

General counsel usually lead an organisation’s in-house legal team. They may have moved from private practice or progressed through other in-house roles. They combine legal expertise with a strong understanding of the organisation.

This allows them to advise senior leaders and the board on strategy, governance, risk and major legal issues. They may also manage external law firms and explain complex legal advice to business leaders.

Executive and business leadership 

Executive leaders set an organisation’s direction and oversee its performance. Leadership roles in law firms can include managing partner, chief executive officer and chief operating officer. 

A legal background can support a move into leadership. However, these roles also require business, financial, operational and people-management skills. Some lawyers undertake further study in business or management. 

Legal training can also be an advantage in other executive roles, even if they do not require law degrees, for example chief risk officer or chief compliance officer.  

Judicial appointments 

Judges in Australia are appointed by government after a consultation process (not elected as in some countries). They must have extensive legal experience, usually as a barrister.  

If you aim one day to become a judge, the usual career path is through the court system. As a graduate, you might apply for opportunities to work as a tipstaff or judge’s associate providing administrative and research support for judges. These roles give you exposure to the court system and can lead to the Bar and eventually the Bench. 

Academia 

You may decide to move into legal academia, either straight after your studies or after some time in practice.

However, as Nick explains, “Academic work is now so technical and complex and requires such a different set of skills to being a practitioner that transitioning from legal practice to becoming a full-time academic is no longer straightforward – it is a complete change in career.” 

He recommends anyone considering moving into academia to start with some casual or part-time teaching. That will give you experience of the discipline and the requirements of academic work, making you more easily employed as an academic.  

Consulting 

Consultants are expected to share experience, practice knowledge, long-standing client relationships, or all three.  

Former partners may move into consultant roles within their firm. Sometimes firms recruit senior academics or lawyers with specific industry expertise as consultants. Or lawyers might become consultants to government or industry. 

Legal publishing 

Writing legal articles or contributing chapters to legal texts can be another way to build a reputation or extend your career in law.

Some legal authors are academics, while others draw on their experience as solicitors, barristers or judges. Publishing can be a long-term commitment – you may need to understand educational and academic requirements, and once a text is published it needs to be kept up-to-date. 

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