Womble Bond Dickinson ups NQ pay to £78,000

Rises in the regions too

Womble Bond Dickinson has increased pay for its newly qualified lawyers from £68,000 to £78,000.

The transatlantic firm that has offices all around the UK and the US has overtaken the likes of TLT and Irwin Mitchell’s London NQ rates, according to the Legal Cheek Firms Most List. However, WBD falls short of Kennedys‘ new London NQ rate of £80k following a recent 60% increase.

WBD offers its London trainees £42,000 in their first year, whilst second-years take home £44,000. The firm last raised NQ rates a year ago, moving from £65,000 to £68,000.

WBD has also increased NQ salaries outside of London. Bristol NQs will now take home £60k, an extra £10,000 than before. The same goes for the Leeds and Southampton offices which saw the biggest percentage boost in this round of wage hikes with NQ pay jumping 22% from £45,000 to £55,000. The firm’s Newcastle and Plymouth NQs were also handed an extra £6k shifting the rates from £44,000 to £50,000.

The firm commented: “The increase reflects the changes in a very dynamic, competitive market, our commitment to the retention and progression of our current lawyers and our desire to continue to attract new talent.”

Elsewhere, Howard Kennedy also boosted its NQ rates 15%. This takes the amount its newly qualified lawyers will take home to £75,000, drawing the firm level with TLT and Gateley.