Matches Osborne Clarke with extra 15% 💷
Newly qualified (NQ) pay in the Bristol office of Burges Salmon now sits at £60,000.
The fresh uplift, which equates to an extra 15%, follows a similar move by Osborne Clarke earlier this summer. Burges’ rookie solicitors, meanwhile, earn £42,000 in year one, rising to £44,000 in year two.
The Legal Cheek Firms Most List shows the move means Burges and OC now share the crown for top NQ payer in the southwest, with Simmons & Simmons just behind on £56,000. The other big players in Bristol, TLT and RPC, provide NQ rates of £50,000 and £49,000.
Burges confirmed it doesn’t have any NQs in its London office, while the small number based in Edinburgh earn a salary of £55,000.
Burges Salmon managing partner Roger Bull said:
“In carrying out this review, we have positioned ourselves at the top end of the market outside of London because we want to attract and retain the best people and offer a different approach to working where our lawyers can undertake quality work within a supported culture and thrive as an individual.”
High quality work coupled with decent work-life balance means Bristol is an attractive option for those seeking to kick-start their legal careers outside the City of London. The cost of living is a big plus too. The average price for a property in Bristol stood at a little over £350,000 in September 2021, according to property website Zoopla. This compared to a whopping £650,000 in the capital.