Fieldfisher ups London NQ lawyer pay to £92k
£60k in regions
Fieldfisher has increased the salaries of its newly qualified lawyers in London to £92,000. This equates to an extra 8% or £7,000, with rates previously sitting at £85,000.
Meanwhile, those qualifying into Manchester and Birmingham have been handed a hefty 20% pay rise, from £50,000 to £60,000.
This is the second time this year Fieldfisher has increased junior lawyer pay. In January Legal Cheek reported NQ rates had moved from £77,000 to £85,000 in London and £45,000 to £50,000 in the regions.
The Legal Cheek Firms Most List shows the Fieldfisher recruits around 22 trainees each year on a starting salary of £43,500 in London and £29,500 in the regions.
The pay boosts comes in the same month the firm announced a new training contract programme in Belfast.
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45 Comments
Anonymouse
Anyone know Dechert’s latest rise, and at what levels?
B
Google is your friend
Anonymouse
Only raised last week so it’s not reported yet, hence the question.
Hanon
£150k at NQ?
Anon
145
J
Good whack considering their hours are good
Kk
Wonder which firm will rise next now? Shed, DLA? Competition getting fierce
Geoffrey
Which practice areas is this firm decent at?
Up their game
ES and DLA really need to up their game
Kirkland NQ
My maid makes that much
DWFer in Walkie Talkie who can see everyone!
Where is DWF in all this?
Anon regional
Don’t think this threatens DLA or Eversheds especially in the regions. People might make a move for a better work life balance but they’ll be taking a hit on quality of work.
Don’t see any of the big regional players increasing for a second time this year.
FF regional
I work in the region as a three year pqe and just had a bump up too! Chats with a friend at DLA at the same level and he confirmed I am now on more than him plus get to finish earlier too!
Anon regional
Yea….. okay
If I had to guess, even with the increase, a 3 year pqe at FF would be on 65k. That’s the nq rate at dla.
Anon
What’s your CT target? Cheers.
Anon
Fact: a firm like FF cannot compete with MC on deals. However, now, they sure can compete for talent. There will be lots of students weighing the pros and cons, hours to salary ratio and think – hang on a minute – is it worth aiming for MC firms?
Now, I’m not naive, FF will have high expectations given this salary increase, but these expectations certainly will not be on the level of MC firms. Hence, if a firm like FF pays at a level which not long ago was the MC level, and given their working hours, FF makes a good case to choose them as you’ll get some semblance of work/life balance with an amazing salary.
C
Good point Anon, I think it’s only US firms that are not worried because 90% of time people are only going there for the money but with MC firms, they are not paying US firm levels so then you think what’s the point if you’re doing US firm hours with lower pay, might as well work at FF with good whack and way better work life balance.
crying face emoji button
the freshers that upvoted this should really be preparing for winter vacation scheme apps instead of wasting time on LC lmaooo
Turn that Xbox off now. You’re going to send nan into a coma
FF, Squires, Addleshaw, ES, Pinsent Masons and even Shoosmtihs have all carved themselves a really nice niche.
There’s currently a sweet spot of decent pay that was MC level a couple years ago yet still considerably fewer hours.
commercial awareness tip
you know what else has happened since 2019?
>10% inflation, esp. in house prices
Towel
You know what the difference in post-tax salary is between 105k and 92k?
5k.
There’s really not that much difference in money between MC and these other big regional hitters now
commercial awareness tip
ever thought about the differences in bonuses? what about those further up the bands?
or are you a fresher who’s going to last for 12 months before throwing in the towel?
Freshfields sweaty toiler
Lmao so naive my poor little child. Go on and see this “semblance of work/life balance” you speak about for yourself. 😂
yeah this is the kind of attitude that I'd expect from someone at Fieldfisher
…
Andrew Glee
Is there a single person at your university who would turn down a vacation scheme or training contract at a Magic Circle firm for Fieldfisher?
Anon
6500 net annual difference vs a&o and linklaters, wtf is going on there!
sorryyougotrejectedfromanMC@youremailaddress.com
Because clearly bonuses don’t exist at A&O or Linklaters…
Clueless response
Bonuses may exist but this article is about base pay so your comment is irrelevant. You need to do 1800 chargeable hours just to get a 10 per cent bonus at links/a&o which is around 4 grand net at that tax band.
Anon
Travers at 105k
Big boy
Yes can confirm this
Dentons
Any news on Dentons?
Joe
No news yet. They really should raise to £100k ASAP. Associate turnover is still higher than it should be.
Concerned Dentons Trainee
Any word on associate bandings at Dentons?
Dentons 4PQE
They are brutally tight. I am on 12k more than an NQ.
Anon
Stephenson Harwood still stuck at £90k. Shameful.
Anon
The only reason FF have increased salaries is because they are losing junior associates by the day due how toxic it is there esp the London office.
B
Who you reckon will be next to rise or you reckon that’s it for rest of 2022?
DWFer
DWF will be next. Insiders say they have spent months trying to agree on a £5 per week raise.
DWFer
We’ve been told that they’re planning on raising to same as Pinsents who are at £92. They pay differently in each sector though so depends on that as well.
H
Eversheds and DLA should be on £100k by now
Hanon
DECHERT DECHERT DECHERT
RAISE RAISE RAISE
Anonymous
Bird & Bird to raise? It looks weak not to at least match this.
War 4 talent
Kennedys have increased NQ salaries, the war for talent continues.
We want more!
It is quite a raise too!!! From £50k – £80k. Fair play.
Quite a few firms left though to “do the honours” – let’s hope they don’t think a salary increase reflecting the market (also high-level inflation) is “just a sticking plaster” like some…
It’s not fair, the partners needs to put their money where their mouth is.
V
It was criminal Kennedys were on 50k as an NQ to beginn with when we have trainees on more. ARE Youu not EMbaraZzzed
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