Voices of the Generation — Young lawyers hungry not for money but purpose, relevance and the future

Younger legal minds are bringing interdisciplinary strengths and better work-life expectations to the renowned legal profession in Scotland, reveals Hailey Craig.

As a Canadian who has lived in the UK for almost five years, I have long been intrigued by the Scottish legal profession. Law school was always my goal, but where I would study, and ultimately practise, remained uncertain. Now living in Edinburgh and attending law school here, I feel I have landed on something of a gold mine.

I originally moved to Edinburgh to complete a master’s degree in sociology and global change, so my path to law has certainly not been linear. After my master’s and before entering law school, I worked as the audience researcher at The National Gallery in London, an experience that, unexpectedly, deepened my interest in law, particularly in areas such as intellectual property and digital rights.

I had often heard, and can now confirm, that Scotland is renowned for its legal scholarship. The chance to understand the law through both a civil and common law lens is, in my view, invaluable. (Although I’m still to find out whether I’m a jack of all trades or a master of none, hopefully the former!)

While small in number, the Scottish legal community is remarkably influential on the global stage. From legal education to litigation and law reform, Scotland continues to punch well above its weight.

From my conversations with colleagues and peers, through my studies as a graduate-entry law student at the University of Edinburgh, my role as editor-in-chief of the Edinburgh Student Law Review and my participation as an oralist in the 32nd Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot, I have noticed certain patterns among the upcoming generation of legal professionals. Here are three key trends I believe define how our generation is reshaping expectations:

1) Intersectional and interdisciplinary thinking

A defining feature of the graduate-entry law programme is that students arrive with prior academic and professional experience. This results in a cohort that approaches legal study through a broader and more interdisciplinary lens, whether informed by sociology, history, mathematics or computer science. However, this shift isn’t unique to graduate-entry students. Across the board, younger legal minds are more attuned to how law intersects with society, culture and technology. There’s a greater appetite to think beyond doctrinal frameworks and consider the law’s real-world implications.

2) Reimagining the corporate law career

There has been a noticeable shift in how work-life balance is viewed. From what I have observed, many in my generation are no longer willing to accept the idea that a successful legal career must come at the expense of one’s personal life. Scotland’s legal market offers a more sustainable alternative. While corporate law here still demands high standards and long hours at times, it also offers the possibility of building a career without entirely sacrificing family life or personal wellbeing. As a result, there’s less of a stigma about going into corporate law and more interest in doing so with boundaries in place.

3) A surge of interest in tech-driven legal fields

Unsurprisingly, interest in technology law is growing rapidly. The rise of AI, big data and the digitisation of nearly every industry has made areas such as intellectual property, privacy and cybersecurity law especially attractive. But it’s not just about career prospects, it’s also about relevance. Many in my generation see legal practice as a way to engage with the most pressing issues of our time, and technology law sits squarely at that intersection.

In short, I think today’s generation of legal professionals, in Scotland and beyond, is not any less ambitious, but rather ambitious in different ways. This generation still wants to make an impact, but is more likely to measure success by purpose, balance and societal relevance than by titles or salaries alone. (That said, a cushy salary is still very much appreciated.)