At the beginning of 2024, SecsintheCity surveyed over 1,400 Legal PAs, EAs and other business support professionals to get the inside exclusive on salaries, bonuses and employee expectations. The landscape of talent acquisition continues to evolve for Legal PAs in 2024; shaped by changing workforce dynamics with return-to-office schemes, and the ever-growing demand for skilled professionals. This year, the industry delivers on salary, bonuses and employees’ desire for flexibility, with 77% of Legal PAs conducting a hybrid working schedule.
Average Earnings:
62% of Legal PAs received a pay rise in 2024. Despite employers’ budgets under greater pressure, competition for suitably qualified staff continues. This fluidity is apparent within the business support recruitment market, with candidates seizing the opportunity to negotiate their salary with potential employers.
The average salary for Legal PAs stands at £42,338. By comparison, those Private PA jobs topped the pay table for the third year running, with average salaries rising to £56,848 - a 3% annual uptick. Following closely behind, professionals working in executive support reported an average salary of £54,861 per annum - a 7% increase on last year’s figures.
Bonuses:
62 of Legal PAs received a bonus in 2024. An impressive 32% took home an additional 10%+ of their paycheck, with Executive Assistants leading the race for bonus payments.
- 23% received a0-2% bonus.
- 24% earned an additional 3-5%.
- 13% took home 6-9%.
Salaries by tenure:
Equilibrium is restored to the pay charts this year in terms of salary and service, with enhanced pay correlating to years worked. New starters average a salary of £27,777, with those with 20+ experience acquiring an additional £20,000 (est).
Over the past two years, we saw new starters being favoured over those with 1-3 years experience, with starting salaries peaking upon employment. This year, graduates fall back in line with lower-average earnings, obtaining an additional £4,774 with accrued experience. Peak earnings are awarded at the 10 year mark, with average income at a stand still from 20 years onwards.
Home-based or Hybrid: Development Trends:
Flexibility has certainly become a customary part of our working lives. Yet, while certain employees continue to demand fluidity over their work schedule, many employers are advocating a ‘return to office’ scheme, enacting stricter policies on how many days employees are obligated to be in the office. When asked ‘would a return to the office policy be a deal breaker for you in your current role?’ 73% of Legal PAs answered: yes.
Across the spectrum, the introduction of ‘return to office’ schemes has resulted in a slight shift of office-to-home days:
• 37% of respondents spent 1-2 days in the office
• 44% conducted 3-4 working days in the office
• 5% went onsite once or twice a month
• 10% were working on a fully remote model
Across the UK, London (66% hybrid) continues its lead with hybrid working opportunities, with the South West (64%) following suit.
Last year we presented an amplified employee map, making global roles more accessible to all. This year we note slight setbacks in flexibility across the North West (54 - 50% hybrid) / South West (70% - 64%) and Scotland (63% - 43%).
What’s Most Important to You in a Role?
37% of business support professionals denote salary as the utmost important factor within their job. With the ongoing cost of living crisis pay equity surpasses hybrid working - with flexibility demoted to an expectation rather than a perk.
With restructuring and redundancies infiltrating the headlines, it’s unsurprising to see a continued concern over job stability. Year-on-year, this figure remains at a constant 16-15%.
Turn to SecsintheCity:
The salary narrative is undoubtedly positive for Legal PAs in 2024. The generosity in pay demonstrates the true fluidity of the business support recruitment market, with tight employer budgets making room for the hiring and retention of suitably qualified staff.
Turn to SecsintheCity for the latest developments and exclusive insights into the Legal PA recruitment market. Download the full report today.
