Specialist Practice

Professional Services

Consulting, legal, advisory and partner-track talent.

+5.1%Median professional-services base movement
+14%Premium for risk & compliance specialists
27%Of senior moves now into in-house from firms
Overview

Our Professional Services practice recruits consulting, legal, advisory and partner-track talent for firms and in-house teams — professionals who combine technical expertise with client relationships and commercial acumen.

Market context

Professional services firms live or die by their talent. Whether building a practice or strengthening an in-house function, we find people who deliver for clients and grow the business.

Talent market insights · Q2 2026

Where this market stands today

Professional services hiring has shifted from the rapid expansion of prior years toward selective, capability-led growth. Firms are protecting partner economics while competing hard for the specialists who drive revenue — strategy, transformation, risk, compliance and technology-advisory talent in particular.

Demand by segment

Risk, regulatory & compliance Acute — regulatory intensity driving demand.
Senior legal counsel
Strategy & transformation
Generalist consulting Selective, capability-led hiring.

Hiring demand index

+20.3%
202120222023202420252026

Professional-services demand index — moderating in generalist consulting, rising in risk and legal.

Salary snapshot

What these roles pay

Base salary, AUD '000 p.a. (excl. bonus / profit share). For city-level and total-reward detail, download the full Professional Services Salary Guide.

Partner / Director (Advisory)
$300k $450k typical $750k
Management Consultant Manager / Principal
$180k $230k typical $320k
General Counsel
$280k $360k typical $520k
Legal Counsel Senior
$180k $230k typical $300k
Strategy / Transformation Lead
$200k $250k typical $340k
Risk & Compliance Manager
$160k $200k typical $270k
Engagement / Client Manager
$140k $175k typical $225k
Key talent shortage

Risk, regulatory and compliance specialists across financial and corporate sectors.

View the full Professional Services Salary Guide

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