Anyone who has ever recruited as a smaller patent law firm knows the dilemma:
Good candidates are scarce — and when suitable profiles are open to change or graduates are looking to enter the IP field, large firms or industry/in-house positions often win out.
That is exactly why we have observed the market over a longer period of time — almost three years. Not out of curiosity, but to answer a very practical question:
When is a good time to actively search for suitable IP talent — and when is competition particularly intense?
Our “Barometer”: kandidatentreff.de
As an indicator, we used www.kandidatentreff.de — a website that has been well established within the German IP community for many years. Since most relevant job postings in Germany also appear there, trends in the number of listings provide a good indicator of overall market conditions.
We analyzed three role profiles:
- Patent attorneys
- Patent attorney candidates
- Administrative and office staff
A Clear Decline Across All Three Groups
Across all categories, a clear trend emerges: The number of job postings published simultaneously on kandidatentreff.de has declined significantly in every role profile.
Among patent attorneys and patent attorney candidates, a clear decline can be observed:
In April 2023, there were 44 job postings for patent attorneys and 36 job postings for patent attorney candidates.
In April 2024, the numbers had fallen to 32 job postings for patent attorneys and 23 job postings for patent attorney candidates.
In April 2025, the figures declined further to 30 job postings for patent attorneys and 19 job postings for patent attorney candidates.
By February 2026, only 14 positions for patent attorneys and 11 positions for patent attorney candidates were advertised.
A similar picture emerges for office staff:
In April 2023, 80 positions for office staff were advertised, decreasing to 59 in April 2024 and 50 in April 2025. By February 2026, only 30 positions for office staff remained advertised.
In short: The market appears noticeably “quieter” today than it did three years ago.
What Could Be Behind This Development?
There is likely no single explanation. Rather, a combination of factors may be contributing:
- Economic uncertainty in Germany: In a weak economic environment, budgets at many industrial companies are planned more cautiously – including external spending (e.g., advice/consulting). Law firms may also feel this – and positions are consequently refilled more cautiously or less frequently.
- AI tools are changing workflows: Many work steps can now be supported or partially automated. At the same time, it is still unclear how quickly and to what extent this development will continue in IP practice. This uncertainty can lead to restraint in new hiring.
What Does This Mean for Smaller Law Firms?
If fewer positions are advertised overall, this can represent a genuine opportunity for smaller firms: good candidates are less heavily courted — and more open to alternatives beyond the “usual suspects.”
An additional advantage of smaller, established law firms lies in what many candidates value more strongly in uncertain times: continuity and stability. While many companies in industry are currently undergoing restructuring and cutting positions, an established law firm can position itself as a reliable and secure employer.