Regional rises: who has increased so far?

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By Rona Ankrah on

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Legal Cheek rounds up the key NQ pay movers outside the capital

While the City pay war continues to grab headlines, pay in regional offices is also steadily climbing with some rookies now earning base pay of £68,000.

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner (BCLP) was first to announce that its Manchester juniors would receive a pay rise early this year, with pay for newly qualified (NQ) solicitors moving to £51,000.

But last month when DLA Piper raised salaries for NQs in the City, it also raised rates in the regions to £65,000, in turn putting pressure on other firms to make similar moves. A week later Squire Patton Boggs and Eversheds Sutherland responded by putting its NQs on £55,000 and £62,0000, respectively.

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In Simmons & Simmons‘ Bristol branch, meanwhile, juniors now start lawyer life on a base rate of £68,000 following a 22% uplift late last year.

Though regional pay for juniors does not reach the dizzy six-figure heights of those in the City, your cash does tend to go further. It is estimated that the average person’s living costs in Leeds sits at £1,500 per month, while the average property price comes in at little under £240,000. In London, meanwhile, average living costs are said to be almost double at £2,900 while a house will set you back, again on average, a whopping £682,000.

Following all the recent regional pay rises, see below for how the firms compare.

Firm Trainee pay (Year 1) Trainee pay (Year 2) NQ base rate
BCLP Manchester: £30,000 Manchester: £35,000 Manchester: £51,000
CMS Bristol: £41,500; Manchester and Sheffield: £30,000; Edinburgh and Glasgow: £26,775 Bristol: £42,525; Manchester and Sheffield: £33,075; Edinburgh and Glasgow: £29,925 Bristol: £61,000; Manchester and Sheffield: £51,750; Edinburgh and Glasgow: £51,750
DLA Piper All regional offices: £30,000 All regional offices: £33,000 All regional offices: £65,000
Eversheds Sutherland All regional offices: £28,500 All regional offices: £31,000 All regional offices: £62,000
Gowling WLG Birmingham: £29,000 Birmingham: £32,000 Birmingham: £52,000
Simmons & Simmons Bristol: £40,500 Bristol: £42,500 Bristol: £68,000
Squire Patton Boggs All regional offices: £30,000 All regional offices: £33,000 All regional offices: £55,000
Trowers & Hamlins All regional offices: £30,000 All regional offices: £32,000 All regional offices: £50,000
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