​By Pascale de Froberville, Associate

Across London private practice, Energy, Environmental and Planning (EEP) teams have felt notably “slower” on recruitment than many expected, given the long-term direction of travel: net zero commitments, grid expansion, planning reform and a once-in-a-generation infrastructure agenda.

So why has hiring in EEP felt more cautious, and do we expect a change in 2026?

In this note, we explore what’s really driving the slower market, the signals we’re tracking, and how firms and candidates can position themselves for the next upswing.

Why EEP recruitment has felt slow (even when the work hasn’t disappeared)

1) Projects are there, but timetables have been the problem

In EEP, “demand” isn’t just a question of whether clients want to build, invest or transition. It’s whether projects can progress through grid, consenting and procurement in a predictable way.

Over the last 18–24 months, a recurring issue has been timing risk:

Grid connection delays and uncertainty have slowed investment decisions and created stop-start instructions. The National Energy System Operator has described how the historic “first come, first served” approach left projects waiting up to 10 years and created a queue that grew to over 700GW. Planning consent pipelines have been softer in parts of the market, particularly where the underlying development market slowed. Savills noted that (based on Home Builders Federation pipeline estimates) consents for just over 45,521 homes in Q1 2025 represented a 25% fall versus the 2024 quarterly average.

When infrastructure and development timelines stretch, law firm resourcing becomes harder to plan. Many teams can cover peaks and troughs with internal flexibility (partners carrying more, associates “floating” across matters, or leaning on PSL/support) rather than committing to a hire.

Recruitment impact: fewer urgent backfills, longer approval cycles and a preference for “perfect fit” hires over volume hiring.

2) The market has been waiting for policy clarity, and for reforms to land

EEP is deeply policy-adjacent. When policy direction is contested, or reforms are announced but not yet operational in practice, clients often pause. We saw this dynamic in electricity market reform discussions and connection reform. For example, Forvis Mazars notes that in July 2025 the government confirmed it would not introduce a full zonal pricing model and would instead pursue reforms within the existing national pricing framework, welcomed in parts of the market, but still leaving investors watching for tangible project impacts

Recruitment impact: a significant amount of “we’ll hire once we see X” decision-making, whether X is connection offers, consenting progress or the next allocation round or investment decision.

3) The work mix has shifted toward complex, specialist “spikes”, not always a steady base-load

Even where EEP workloads have remained high, the composition has often leaned toward:

• discrete advisory bursts (policy/regulatory updates, stakeholder strategy, ESG reporting readiness);

• periods of intense deal or consenting activity;

• followed by quieter stretches while projects sit with regulators, grid operators or investment committees.

This favours firms that can deploy specialists across offices and practice lines, but it reduces the perceived need to add permanent headcount unless the pipeline becomes reliably repeatable.

4) Broader private practice caution has influenced EEP too

Even when EEP is comparatively resilient, hiring decisions still sit within wider firm economics and risk appetite. Some London firms have signalled a more measured recruitment environment in 2025, with overall activity described as stagnant rather than accelerating in parts of the lateral market.

In other words, EEP might be a strategic priority, but it does not exist in a vacuum. Where other practice areas are softening, firms often prefer to keep hiring tightly controlled, even in growth sectors.

So… do we see a change in 2026?

Our view: the ingredients for a stronger 2026 are real, but the pace of change will be uneven. The most important shift isn’t “more ambition”; it’s whether reforms translate into delivery.

Here are the key drivers we believe can move the needle.

1) Infrastructure becomes more “actionable”, not just announced

The UK government’s Infrastructure Pipeline is positioned as a forward look at major projects and programmes, underpinning delivery of the 10-year strategy and providing project-level information (including anticipated spend and status).

If the pipeline increasingly converts into procurement, land, consenting and delivery workstreams, firms will see more predictable demand across planning, environment, compulsory purchase, public law, construction interface and the energy regulatory stack.

What that could mean for hiring: more confidence to hire at mid-level associate and senior associate level, plus targeted partner or team builds where firms want to “own” a niche (e.g., NSIP-heavy planning, biodiversity net gain strategy, water, or energy networks).

2) Grid connections reform is a tangible unlock (but not an overnight one)

NESO has described a re-ordered pipeline designed to prioritise “shovel-ready” projects aligned to Clean Power 2030 needs.

If this translates into clearer connection outcomes and fewer “zombie projects” clogging the queue, we expect a release of pent-up activity, particularly for:

• renewables and storage;

• corporate power purchase agreements (PPAs);

• data centre power strategy (where planning and power collide);

• grid and network investment work.

Hiring implication: firms may move from “wait and see” to selective acceleration, especially where clients need execution-focused counsel rather than pure horizon scanning.

3) 2026 looks like a year of execution pressure in energy transition

Slaughter and May’s 2026 horizon scanning points to themes that typically drive private practice demand: offshore wind activity post-CfD allocations, hydrogen and SAF momentum mechanisms, electricity market and network reform clarity, and water sector reforms. Those themes have one thing in common: delivery risk. Delivery risk creates legal work - not only transactions, but also planning strategy, regulatory navigation, judicial review risk management, stakeholder engagement and contract structures to allocate risk.

Hiring implication: greater demand for lawyers who can operate across silos (energy, planning and environment), and for those comfortable with client-side commercial realities rather than purely technical advisory work.

What we expect in the London EEP hiring market in 2026

Rather than a single “market turns and everyone hires” moment, we anticipate three patterns:

• A return of targeted lateral moves: Partner and senior hires where firms have identified specific gaps (e.g., NSIP planning, environmental litigation, energy networks, consenting for offshore wind or onshore grid, CCUS interface).

• Selective mid-level demand: Particularly 3–6 PQE profiles who can run matters, manage consultants and counsel, and support partners managing heavier pipelines.

• Greater emphasis on “adjacent” capability: Candidates with EEP foundations plus one strong adjacent angle (construction interface, public procurement, real estate development, disputes or regulatory investigations) will be particularly attractive.

Advice for firms: how to hire well in a cautious but changing market

Hire for execution, not just credentials. Look for evidence of delivery through uncertainty: managing timetables, stakeholder expectations and evolving regulatory constraints. Build bench strength around bottlenecks. If your partners are the pinch point, one strong senior associate can unlock disproportionate capacity. Be clear on what you’re offering. In a “slow” market, top candidates still move, but only for a well-articulated platform (work type, progression, flexibility and a believable growth story).

Advice for candidates: how to position yourself for 2026 momentum

Show your “project story.” Hiring partners want to know where you fit in the lifecycle: consenting, acquisition, financing, construction interface, regulatory or disputes. Develop a point of view on delivery constraints. Grid, planning and policy mechanics are not background in EEP; they are the commercial context. Stay open to adjacent moves. Some of the strongest EEP careers are built through a strategic sidestep (e.g., construction, public law or real estate development), then re-specialising with a broader toolkit.

Closing thought

The EEP recruitment market in London has felt slow largely because the sector has been wrestling with delivery friction: grid constraints, planning pipelines and the lag between reform announcements and real-world outcomes. However, 2026 presents credible catalysts, particularly where reforms and infrastructure plans translate into executable work streams.