A little over £19k for baby barristers in London
Minimum pupillage awards across England and Wales will increase next month as part of an annual uplift pegged against recommendations set out by the Living Wage Foundation (LWF).
From January 2022, barrister sets in London will have to pay pupils at least £19,144 in London and £17,152 elsewhere. The move equates to an extra £184 and £551, respectively, with 2021 rates set at £18,960 and £16,601.
The yearly rises were first introduced in 2019 and are pegged against salaries endorsed by the LWF, an independent organisation that promotes fair pay across the UK. Prior to the roll-out, the minimum chambers could pay their pupils was £12,000.
The Legal Cheek 2022 Chambers Most List shows that there’s a clear divide at the bar when it comes to pupillage awards. Whilst many criminal sets provide pupil pay close to the regulator-set minimums, major commercial specialists dish out sums of up to £75,000.