Bird & Bird, HFW and Dentons bump NQ salaries to 95k

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By Emily Hinkley on

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More rises

A trio of City law firms have increased the salaries of their newly qualified (NQ) lawyers.

NQs at Bird & Bird will now earn a base salary of £95,000, a rise of just under 3% from £92,400.

Trainee salaries are also getting boosted by around 4%, with first year pay moving from £45,000 to £47,000, and year two increasing from £50,000 to £52,000.

The Legal Cheek Firms Most 2023 shows Bird & Bird recruits around 18 trainees each year.

The 2023 Legal Cheek Firms Most List

NQ solicitors at HFW are now earning the same as their counterparts at Bird & Bird, thanks to a 12% rise from £85,000. HFW trainees in London earn £46,000 in their first year of training, then £50,000 in their second year. The firm typically offers 15 training contracts each year.

Finally junior at Dentons have also had pay rise of around 3% to £95,000. The uplift takes effect from September. Dentons’ trainees in London will also receive an increase of around 4%, with first year pay moving from £46,000 to £48,000, and year two increasing from £50,000 to £52,000. The firm typically offers 35 training contracts each year.

Many firms have increased salaries in recent week including Taylor Wessing, Travers Smith, CMS, Simmons & Simmons, and Ashurst.

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