14% uplift
Orrick has boosted the salaries of its newly qualified (NQ) lawyers in London to £160,000.
This marks a £20,000 increase from the previous rate of £140,000, representing a 14.3% raise.
Trainee pay remains unchanged, with first-years continuing to earn £55,000, rising to £60,000 in their second year.
Orrick has strengthened its position among the highest-paying law firms in the City with this latest move. The increase puts it ahead of the entire Magic Circle, where NQs currently earn £150,000 following the 2024 pay war. The US firm now matches Jones Day at £160,000 and sits just behind Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, which offers £164,500.
Mark Beeley, Orrick’s London office leader, commented:
“We are committed to ensuring our top, hard-working talent have a compensation package at the level of the firms with which we compete in the talent market – and to complement that with opportunities to counsel some of the most innovative clients. This move is part of that package.”
The Legal Cheek Firms Most List 2025 shows Orrick recruits around 12 trainees each year in London.