Rises for some regional rookies too
A trio of City outfits have upped the salaries of their junior lawyers.
CMS has increased the rates of its newly qualified (NQ) lawyers in London to £82,000, a rise of 9% from £75,000. The firm offers around 80 training contracts each year, with trainees, again in London, earning a salary of £44,500 in year one and £49,750 in year two.
Meanwhile, NQ pay in Trowers & Hamlins‘ London office now sits at £72,500, up 7% from £68,000, while their counterparts in the regions — Manchester, Birmingham and Exeter — also receive a 7% rise, from £44,000 to £47,000.
Elsewhere, RPC confirmed London NQs would receive a new and improved salary of £70,000 while their counterparts in Bristol would be handed £49,000 — upticks of 3% and 2% respectively.
A number of UK law firms have splashed the cash in recent weeks as they look to attract and retain junior lawyer talent.
Pinsent Masons upped NQ pay in London to £75,000, while Ashurst and Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner bumped junior lawyer rates to £90,000 and £88,000, respectively. Elsewhere, magic circle duo Allen & Overy and Clifford Chance recently increased their cash offerings to £100,000.
