Should I Move from a City Firm to a Regional Practice?
Should I Move from a City Firm to a Regional Practice?
By Ben Holtom, Founder of RecQuest
Published 27th of April 2026 | Last updated 27th of April 2026
If you are thinking about a move from a City firm to a regional practice, the short answer is yes, but only if the role improves your actual career. A smaller commute and friendlier hours are not enough if the work, support and progression are weaker.
TL;DR
A regional move can be a strong career step if it gives you better client contact, partner access, clearer progression and a life you can sustain.
The pay cut is real. BCL Legal (2025) showed City and International firms in London paying a £105,000 mode salary at 3 PQE, against £58,000 in the South East and £67,000 in the South West for international, national and commercial firms.
Regional practice is not automatically easier. The bad version is the same pressure for less money, weaker support and a narrower route back to specialist London work.
If you can answer yes to the five tests below, a move to Southampton, Winchester, Bournemouth, Guildford, Chichester, Salisbury or another strong regional market may be the better long-term play.
Is moving from a City firm to a regional practice worth it?
Moving from a City firm to a regional practice is worth it if the move gives you better work, not just a different postcode. You should be looking for more client ownership, realistic progression, stronger supervision and a manageable life. If the regional role only offers lower pay and vague promises, stay where you are.
For a 3–6 PQE solicitor, the decision is less about prestige and more about control. Will you get closer to clients? Will you run files properly? Will the partners who make promotion decisions actually see your work?
RecQuest works in legal recruitment across the South Coast, so geography matters. A role in Romsey, Southampton, Portsmouth, Winchester, Basingstoke, Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch, Guildford, Chichester or Salisbury is not one generic "regional" choice. Each market behaves differently.
What salary trade-off should you expect?
Expect a meaningful salary drop if you move from a City firm to most regional practices. The drop can still make sense if lower housing costs, shorter travel, better hours and faster responsibility improve your total position. But do not pretend the headline salary gap is small. For many City solicitors, it is not.
The numbers are blunt. An independent salary survey (2026) showed City and International firms in London paying mode salaries of £90,000 at NQ, £105,000 at 3 PQE, £110,000 at 5 PQE and £115,000 at 6 PQE.
Level | City and International London | South East | South West |
|---|---|---|---|
NQ solicitor | £90,000 | £50,000 | £60,000 |
3 PQE solicitor | £105,000 | £58,000 | £67,000 |
5 PQE solicitor | £110,000 | £65,000 | £73,000 |
6 PQE solicitor | £115,000 | £68,000 | £75,000 |
That gap is why the offer needs to be judged as a whole. HM Land Registry (2026) reported December 2025 average house prices of £551,000 in London, £379,000 in the South East and £301,000 in the South West. The November 2025 buyer-status table put first-time buyer prices at £472,215 in London, £301,364 in the South East and £252,850 in the South West.
If you live in Hampshire, Dorset, Surrey, West Sussex or Wiltshire, that matters. A lower salary in Winchester, Portsmouth, Fareham, New Forest, Lymington, Bournemouth, Guildford, Horsham, Chichester, Trowbridge or Chippenham may still work if your commute, rent, mortgage plans and hours improve. If the firm cannot show better work, support or progression, the move is just a discount on your experience.
What do you gain by moving regional?
The best regional move gives you more ownership earlier. You may get closer client contact, broader files, faster partner visibility and a clearer route to senior associate or junior partner. In commercial property, employment, private client, family, litigation and property litigation, that can be worth more than another year hidden inside a large City team.
Hours can improve too, although not everywhere. Legal Cheek (2025) surveyed more than 2,000 trainees and junior lawyers across 100+ firms. The longest reported working day was 13 hours 3 minutes, 14 firms had average finish times of 9pm or later, and 15 firms with strong regional roots had lawyers signing off before 6pm.
The market can support serious careers outside London. According to the Law Society (2026), the legal sector generates £60 billion annually and employs about half a million people. Its 2026 Financial Benchmarking Survey reported 11.2% average law firm earnings growth in 2025, with 85% of firms reporting year-on-year fee growth.
BCL Legal's South East 2025 review also called the market "candidate-driven as we head into 2026". That matters if you are moving into employment, commercial property, private client, family or litigation, where local demand can make a regional move more than a lifestyle call.
What are the honest downsides?
The downsides are lower pay, fewer specialist teams, less brand weight, more local politics and a possible return-to-City hurdle. Some regional firms also run lean support teams, which means you can gain autonomy but lose infrastructure. That is fine if you want ownership. It is frustrating if you expected less pressure.
The SRA (2026) reported 175,622 practising solicitors, 216,234 solicitors on the roll and 8,926 solicitor firms in March 2026. That size creates choice, but it also creates huge variation between firms.
The main risks are practical: moving too broad too early, accepting a title without checking the work underneath it, joining a team with thin support, taking a salary drop without progression, or assuming you can return to the City later without keeping your technical edge.
How should you make the decision?
Treat the decision like an offer audit, not a leap of faith. The right move should pass tests on work quality, salary, supervision, progression and personal life. If three or more are weak, pause. If the firm gives specific answers and the trade-off is clear, the regional move may be right.
Will the work improve or only become broader?
Does the salary drop buy something real?
Who will supervise you?
What support sits around you?
Will this role keep your next move open?
If you are comparing Hampshire legal recruitment, Dorset legal recruitment, the Surrey solicitor market, West Sussex legal recruitment or Wiltshire legal recruitment, do not judge the move from salary alone.
If you are weighing this up now, send your CV to RecQuest. I will tell you whether the offer looks sensible against the South Coast market. If you want to talk before you accept, speak to Ben about a move.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it worth moving from a City law firm to a regional firm?
Yes, if the move gives you better work, clearer progression and a life you can keep up with. No, if it only gives you a lower salary and softer branding. The best regional moves usually improve client contact, partner access and ownership without cutting you off from quality work.
Do regional law firms pay much less than City firms?
Usually, yes. BCL Legal's 2025 data shows a clear gap between City and International London salaries and South East or South West regional modes. The gap is often largest for 3–6 PQE solicitors, so compare the whole package: salary, hours, commute, bonus, benefits, support and progression.
Is work-life balance better at regional law firms?
Often, but not always. Legal Cheek's 2025 data shows some regional-rooted firms finishing earlier than the longest-hours City firms, but practice area and team culture matter. Corporate, commercial property, litigation and family work can still create pressure outside London. Ask for real working patterns, not policy language.
Will I still get good-quality work outside London?
Yes, if you choose the right firm and practice area. Strong regional teams handle serious commercial property, employment, private client, family, litigation and corporate work. The risk is not leaving London. The risk is joining a regional team where the matters are too narrow for your next career step.
Can I move back to a City firm after working regionally?
You can, but it is easier if your regional role keeps your technical edge sharp. A focused employment, corporate, disputes, commercial property or private client role with strong clients travels better than a vague generalist caseload. Keep evidence of matter value, client contact and responsibility.
What questions should I ask before accepting a regional solicitor role?
Ask what files you will inherit, who supervises you, what support exists, how billing targets work, why the vacancy exists and what promotion looks like. Then ask what recent lateral hires have gone on to do. The answers will tell you more than the job title.
This article was written by Ben Holtom, Founder of RecQuest, a specialist legal recruitment consultancy based in Romsey, Hampshire. RecQuest places solicitors, legal executives, paralegals, and legal support staff into law firms across Hampshire, Dorset, Surrey, West Sussex, and Wiltshire.
