£12.5k
Willkie Farr & Gallagher has joined a growing list of law firms increasing their maintenance grants for future trainees.
The US outfit provided £10,000 in financial support to Legal Practice Course (LPC) students and has now upped this by £2,500, or 25%, to £12,500. Similarly, non-law graduates required to take the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) will also benefit from the same increase. Willkie also covers course fees.
The Legal Cheek Firms Most List 2022 shows the firm’s trainees are among the highest paid in the City, with a first year rate of £55,000 rising to £60,000 in year two. Newly qualified associates currently earn a salary of £145,000.
The bump in financial support follows the news earlier this year that the firm is increasing its trainee intake in London. The New York headquartered player recruited three rookies in 2021 but is upping this to five for September 2022 and six for 2023.
A raft of firms have raised maintenance grants in recent weeks, with fellow US players Sidley Austin and White & Case moving to £13,000 and £17,000, respectively, with the latter citing the “increased cost of living” as the reason for doing so.