£48,000 in year one, rising to £53,000 in year two
The London office of US law firm White & Case has upped trainee solicitor pay by as much as 6%.
The firm, which dishes out around 50 training contracts each year, confirmed year one trainees will now earn £48,000, up from £46,000 (a 4% bump), while those a year ahead will pocket before tax £53,000, up from £50,000 (a 6% rise). Newly qualified (NQ) lawyers at the firm receive a salary of £105,000.
The boost puts the firm’s first year trainees on the same levels of cash as their equivalents over at Akin Gump (£48,000) and Cleary Gottlieb (£48,000), while second year trainees are now £500 better off than their opposite numbers at magic circle player Linklaters (£52,500).
Legal Cheek‘s Firm’s Most List shows that Davis Polk continues to be the top rookie payer in the City with a year two salary of £60,000.
“The London office of White & Case offers a compensation package (salaries, bonuses and benefits) that is designed to be highly competitive in the London market,” a spokesperson for the firm said. “We constantly monitor the market, and discuss compensation with our lawyers and partners on an ongoing basis throughout the year to maintain that position.”
White & Case is one of a number of firms to throw extra cash at its young lawyer talent in recent weeks.
Last month, US law firm Sidley Austin upped London trainee pay by as much as 7%, while Shearman & Sterling and Freshfields increased NQ pay packets to £120,000 and £100,000 respectively. Yesterday, Clifford Chance also upped junior lawyer pay to £100,000, although this new and improved sum includes a discretionary bonus. Meanwhile, Legal Cheek reported this morning that NQ salaries at Skadden had been increased to £133,000.
