ANZ Law Firms 5-Star Employers 2026: 32 Top Firms Recognized for Employee Experience

• The 2026 5-Star Employers of Choice report recognized 32 ANZ law firms for their positive employee experiences.
• Firms were evaluated across 11 critical areas, including remuneration, career progression, and health and wellbeing.
• Key challenges in the ANZ legal sector include AI adoption, talent migration from New Zealand to Australia, and rising expectations for flexibility.
• Work-from-home flexibility is consistently ranked highest by lawyers, provided it's supported by proper tools and processes.
• Some leading firms, like Dentons and Maddocks, report gender pay gaps well below the industry average.

Across all demographics, however, work-from-home flexibility consistently ranks as the most sought-after benefit among New Zealand and Australian lawyers.

The 2026 5-Star Employers of Choice report, a collaborative effort by Australasian Lawyer and NZ Lawyer, has once again highlighted 32 leading law firms across Australia and New Zealand. Now in its eleventh year, this prestigious recognition program identifies organizations that excel in fostering positive employee experiences within the legal sector. The nomination process for the 2026 report commenced in April of that year, inviting firms to detail their initiatives across 11 crucial areas deemed vital for staff satisfaction and professional growth.

These critical areas span a wide spectrum, from competitive remuneration and clear career progression pathways to comprehensive health and wellbeing programs. The cohort of recognized firms demonstrates remarkable diversity, ranging from specialized boutiques like Blackwood Family Lawyers, a Victorian firm with fifteen family lawyers, to global entities such as Dentons, whose Australian operations alone comprise over 630 employees. This breadth underscores the report's finding that there is no singular blueprint for becoming an employer of choice; rather, success stems from a dedicated commitment to measuring, refining, and actively defending an organization's unique approach to staff experience.

The legal industry in Australia and New Zealand is currently navigating a dynamic environment shaped by several significant trends, including the increasing adoption of artificial intelligence, a notable migration of legal talent from New Zealand to Australia, and evolving employee expectations, particularly concerning flexibility. These factors form the backdrop against which the 2026 5-Star Employers of Choice report evaluates firms. Expert insights from Lisa Gray, founder and partner at Tyler Wren, reveal that lawyers' priorities for an ideal employer can vary significantly based on their career stage and personal circumstances.

More senior lawyers, for instance, often seek robust partner relationships and early exposure to high-quality legal work, alongside strong social-value indicators such as comprehensive parental leave and effective return-to-work support. Conversely, those considering smaller firms frequently prioritize a sense of belonging and feeling genuinely valued as part of a team. Across all demographics, however, work-from-home flexibility consistently ranks as the most sought-after benefit among New Zealand and Australian lawyers. Gray emphasizes that for this flexibility to be truly effective, firms must back it with appropriate tools and processes, rather than treating it merely as a policy checkbox.

The 11 critical areas assessed in the 2026 5-Star Employers of Choice report provide a comprehensive framework for evaluating a firm's commitment to its workforce. These areas, which include aspects like remuneration, career progression, and health and wellbeing, serve as benchmarks for best practices in the legal sector. Firms recognized in the report are those that not only implement initiatives in these domains but also demonstrate a willingness to seriously engage with their staff experience, continuously measuring its effectiveness and adapting strategies as needed.

One persistent challenge highlighted by Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) data is the industry-wide average gender pay gap within the legal sector. However, the report notes that several top-performing firms, including Dentons and Maddocks, have reported median gender pay gaps significantly below the sector average, showcasing their proactive efforts in this critical area. The data collected from firm submissions, which is self-reported, also includes metrics such as revenue growth after changes to pay cycles, median gender pay gaps (e.g., Norling Law, Auckland), and the proportion of new partners who are women since July 2024 (e.g., Holding Redlich, Sydney). These specific examples illustrate the diverse approaches and measurable outcomes that distinguish leading employers.

A significant trend impacting the Australasian legal landscape is the steady outflow of New Zealand lawyers migrating to Australia, a pattern that has been observed building since at least 2022. This movement is partly attributed to a relatively flat legal market in London, which has redirected New Zealand lawyers who might otherwise have sought opportunities there towards Australia instead. In response to this talent drain, some Australian employers have begun offering attractive packages designed to entice and retain New Zealand legal professionals.

These incentives can include extended remote-work weeks, allowing lawyers greater flexibility in their location, and even paid return flights to New Zealand. Lisa Gray further advises that firms most successful in retaining their staff are those that maintain ongoing, genuine, and judgment-free conversations with their lawyers about their career paths and professional aspirations. This proactive and empathetic approach to employee engagement is crucial for fostering loyalty and mitigating the effects of regional talent migration.

Law firm leaders and HR professionals can use this report to benchmark their employee experience strategies against top-performing firms, identifying best practices for talent retention, diversity, and adapting to evolving lawyer expectations around flexibility and AI. Individual lawyers can also use this report to inform career decisions by understanding which firms prioritize employee well-being and progressive workplace policies.

Source: Original reporting via Australasian Lawyer & NZ Lawyer