London v Scotland [2026] — Why picking the right legal job is about more than money

Doom-scrolling on social networks like LinkedIn is seldom a gratifying experience. Yet, among all the slop generated by artificial intelligence (AI), there’s sometimes a gem to be found. 

David Thomson, founder of recruitment firm Thomson Legal, struck gold a few weeks ago when he crunched the numbers to ask who was better off – a London lawyer earning £120,000 or a lawyer earning £75,000 in Scotland. More than 1,000 reactions and 130-plus comments later – and with more than 300,000 views – his analysis clearly struck a chord with the legal community too, with his numbers suggesting that, while the London lawyer could be £765 better off at the end of the month, she was being paid just £19 an hour for her extra slog. 

“It did surprise me when I broke down the numbers – the difference in the cost of living in London compared with Scotland has a big impact,” explains David, who studied law at the University of Glasgow before moving into the recruitment sector in 2000 and setting up his own firm in 2014. “Over the past two or three years, salaries in Scotland have grown to be the highest they’ve ever been, and – if you exclude the big American law firms – the take-home pay that someone can earn in Scotland compared to London is often not all that different. 

“Traditionally, that gap was anywhere between 25% and 50% in some cases, which made the situation very polarised. But now it’s closer than it’s ever been. In Edinburgh, international firm DLA Piper is a good example – its newly qualified lawyers this year are on around £82,000, which is an amazing salary and very impressive for a Scotland-based law firm. Firms in Scotland are paying higher wages because they need to compete to attract and retain the top talent.” 

It’s about more than just the salary 

David has seen a shift in working practices, particularly since the end of the coronavirus pandemic lockdowns. In the past, some lawyers were prepared to live in London during the week and come home to Scotland at the weekend, but less so now. “Law isn’t a predictable nine-to-five job,” he explains. “You can’t guarantee you’ll be finished work in time for the flight home at 7.30pm.” 

Some Scottish lawyers continue to head for the bright lights of London to gain experience during the early stages of their careers but then return home to Scotland when they want to start a family or take on caring responsibilities for their parents. Tax is also a consideration – no matter where you work in the UK, anyone earning above £100,000 begins to lose their income tax personal allowance, before it disappears at £125,140, pushing up their effective tax rate; anyone earning over £75,000 in Scotland also faces the advanced rate at 45%. 

“It’s about more than the figures though,” adds David. “London can be a fantastic experience and offers a completely different lifestyle – a Monday night in London can be as busy as a Saturday night in Edinburgh or Glasgow. But the cost of living is a lot higher in London, while Scotland offers a great quality of life, often with a shorter commute. At the moment, we’re finding that Scotland is appealing to a lot of lawyers from Australia and New Zealand as well, as an alternative to London. 

“Ten years ago, people were coming to us because they were ambitious and wanted to get promoted and climb the career ladder faster. Then, after the pandemic, flexibility was in demand – being asked to work two days a week in the office instead of three made a real difference. Now, with the cost of living rising so much, the numbers are the first thing that candidates ask about.” 

Balancing Scottish and London offices 

Having lawyers based in both Scotland and London could present a potential juggling act for larger firms. Chris Palmer, head of recruitment for the UK, Ireland and the Middle East at international law firm Dentons, says: “Our offices in Edinburgh and Glasgow do just as much cross-border work as we do in our London office, which is a major draw for lawyers and business services staff looking for a rewarding career in Scotland. 

“Compensation is always part of the conversation – particularly when comparing Scotland and London – but it’s rarely the decisive factor. We also offer competitive salaries in Scotland, which makes this less of an issue for prospective hires.” 

Chris adds: “What we see in practice is that lawyers make rounded decisions, weighing financial reward alongside how and where they want to build their careers. For some, London’s higher salaries are attractive, but these have to be weighed against higher living costs and other lifestyle factors; for others, the overall proposition in Scotland – including cost of living, quality of work and day-to-day experience – is just as compelling, if not more so. 

“Factors like career development, level of responsibility, culture and lifestyle all play a significant role. Many lawyers are increasingly focused on where they will get the best long-term platform – not just financially, but in terms of progression, client exposure and sustainability.” 

Sharing personal experience 

Naomi Pryde, DLA Piper’s global co-chair of space exploration and innovation and head of litigation and regulatory in Scotland, has worked in both London and Scotland. “I’d always wanted to work in London at some point during my career and to dual qualify – I’m actually qualified in all four of the UK and Ireland jurisdictions as a solicitor and in both Scotland and England and Wales as a solicitor advocate – but for me it was very much about finding the right time,” she explains. 

“Ultimately, the move was about investing in my long-term career development and ensuring I was operating at the highest level of the profession. My time in London, working at one of the world’s largest law firms, was formative and has played a significant role in shaping the international practice I have today.” 

Naomi adds: “Being at my current firm genuinely feels like the best of both worlds. I am able to live and practice in Scotland while continuing to work on the same large‑scale, global mandates that I handled in London, maintaining an international client base and travelling to London regularly. It allows me to play a meaningful role in the development of the Scottish legal market while retaining a global outlook. 

“From a personal perspective, returning to Scotland has also allowed me to build my career in a way that aligns with my long‑term priorities and roots, while enabling me to raise a family close to wider family support. While London will always feel like a second home to me, I am glad to be back in Scotland.”