Norton Rose Fulbright boosts junior lawyer pay to match magic circle competition

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By Jonathan Ames on

Exclusive: Transatlantic player overtakes some big names in the salary league tables

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Transatlantic giant Norton Rose Fulbright has boosted junior lawyer salaries and soared past several big names on the pay league table.

The firm has increased newly-qualified pay from £65,000 to £70,000, putting it level with magic circle players Clifford Chance and Slaughter and May, as well as with Anglo-US rival Hogan Lovells.

The pay boost means that qualifying lawyers at NRF will earn more than counterparts at magic circle firms Allen & Overy, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Linklaters.

The move also makes them one grand richer than NQs at Anglo-Australian mega-firm Herbert Smith Freehills.

Trainees have also benefited from a rush of generosity at the senior partnership table at NRF. First year trainees have seen their pay rise by £1,500 to £41,000.

That increase puts newbie trainees on the same level as counterparts at Freshfields, Slaughter and May and Hogan Lovells. But the will remain £1,000 poorer than first-year trainees as Clifford Chance and Herbert Smith Freehills.

NRF trainees see their salaries increase significantly in their second year, up to £46,000.

Lak Purewal, the firm’ human resources chief for Europe, commented:

It is essential that we attract and retain high quality people, and ensuring our salaries are competitive is one of the ways to achieve this goal.