Lawyers Weekly - legal news for Australian lawyers

Powered by MOMENTUM MEDIA
lawyers weekly logo
Advertisement
SME Law

Starting salaries for City lawyers soar as firms fight for top talent

NEWLY QUALIFIED lawyers can now expect to earn a minimum of £55,000 ($132,750) at the top City law firms in the UK after pay reviews were finalised last week.Several of London’s major firms,…

May 15, 2006 By Lawyers Weekly
expand image

NEWLY QUALIFIED lawyers can now expect to earn a minimum of £55,000 ($132,750) at the top City law firms in the UK after pay reviews were finalised last week.

Several of London’s major firms, including Norton Rose, Herbert Smith and Simmons & Simmons, set the starting rate at £55,000, a 10 per cent increase on 2005.

One top firm, Linklaters, has increased its trainee salaries to at least £30,000 ($72,400).

Simon Firth, Linklaters’ trainee development partner, told Legal Week magazine: “The market has been picking up and all firms are chasing quality people. If you are competing in that market, you cannot be that far from the rest.”

Linklaters is also giving lawyers with four or more years’ experience a 12 per cent pay rise, bringing their salaries to at least £88,600 ($213,850) before bonuses.

Another firm, Lovells, has increased its bonus package, giving all associates the opportunity to gain a bonus of up to 30 per cent of their salary, up from 20 per cent.

Ruth Grant, managing partner for Lovells’ London, said: “These things tend to go in cycles. The market has been quiet in recent years with salaries not increasing much. That has now shifted, so these rises reflect that.”

Personnel Today www.personneltoday.com

Tags
You need to be a member to post comments. Become a member today
Got a tip for us?
If you have any news tips or stories to share, feel free to send them our way.
lawyersweekly jobs image
lawyersweekly jobs
Discover the latest legal jobs
Find Australian legal jobs, employment & career opportunities
Momentum Media Logo
Most Innovative Company