Base rate of £88k
Bird & Bird has joined the raft of City law firms upping the salaries of their junior lawyers.
The outfit confirmed to Legal Cheek that base rates for newly qualified (NQ) associates will move from £71,000 to £88,000 — a hefty uplift of £17,000 or 24%.
The firm has also increased salaries for trainees, with those in year one earning £45,000 and those in year two receiving £50,000.
Increases further up the post qualification ladder will start at 8% and bring base rates in line with the current market, according to the firm.
All rises are effective from 1 March and bonuses will be paid in the usual way in May.
Focusing on NQ rises, the Legal Cheek Firms Most List 2022 shows the uplift puts them on the same levels of cash as their peers at DLA Piper (£88,000) and just behind those at Stephenson Harwood and Ince (£90,000).