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Money focus: What law firms pay their newly qualified lawyers

Legal Cheek data shines spotlight on juniors’ salaries 💷

Legal Cheek has compiled an official round-up of the newly qualified (NQ) salaries available across the country’s leading law firms.

Whether you’re interested in the mega pay packets up for grabs in the London offices of US law firms, or the more modest earnings available at regional players that provide better work-life balance, our comprehensive rundown has got you covered.

The latest figures show firms have boosted NQ salaries by an average of 4% over the last year. The uptick comes despite Legal Cheek research showing a reduction in average working hours for junior lawyers across the City and beyond, amid reduced demand in legal services across several practice areas.

Topping the table this year are the usual suspects — a host of US firms. Whilst demanding 12 hour+ days in the office, at the top five firms juniors can expect to take home upwards of £170,000!

The 2024 Firms Most List — featuring the Legal Cheek Survey results in full

Whilst there were no pay reductions across the 100 + firms surveyed, there were some significant rises over the past 12 months. The biggest of these came in the shape of a 16% bump for NQs at Magic Circle duo Linklaters and Allen & Overy, both outfits hiking pay from £107,500 a year to £125,000.

You can view all our salary data, including rates for trainees, on our 2024 Legal Cheek Firms Most List.

How much will I earn as a newly qualified solicitor? 💷

Law firm NQ salary
Milbank £183,409*
Vinson & Elkins £173,822
Akin Gump £173,254**
Kirkland & Ellis £173,254**
Latham & Watkins £173,254**
Davis Polk & Wardwell £165,000
Weil Gotshal & Manges £165,000
Paul Hastings £164,000
Gibson Dunn £161,700
Debevoise & Plimpton £160,500
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton £160,000
Goodwin Procter £160,000
Sidley Austin £159,500
Fried Frank £158,000
King & Spalding £156,000
Cooley £150,000
Willkie Farr & Gallagher £150,000
Ropes & Gray £147,000
Dechert £145,000
Jones Day £145,000
Shearman & Sterling £145,000
Sullivan & Cromwell £145,000
Orrick £140,000
White & Case £140,000
Allen & Overy £125,000
Clifford Chance £125,000
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer £125,000
Linklaters £125,000
Herbert Smith Freehills £120,000
Hogan Lovells £120,000
Mayer Brown £120,000
Baker McKenzie £118,000
Ashurst £115,000
Macfarlanes £115,000
Slaughter and May £115,000
K&L Gates £110,000
Travers Smith £110,000
Katten Muchin Rosenman £108,000
Reed Smith £107,500
Simmons & Simmons £107,500
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner £105,000
CMS £105,000
Norton Rose Fulbright £105,000
DLA Piper £100,000
Squire Patton Boggs £100,000
Taylor Wessing £100,000
Addleshaw Goddard £95,000
Bird & Bird £95,000
Eversheds Sutherland £95,000
Fieldfisher £95,000
HFW £95,000
Stephenson Harwood £95,000
Watson Farley & Williams £95,000
Dentons £92,000
Gowling WLG £92,000
Pinsent Masons £92,000
Osborne Clarke £91,500
Mischon de Reya £90,000
Withers £90,000
Bristows £88,000
Shoosmiths £87,000
Charles Russell Speechlys £85,000
RPC £85,000
Farrer & Co £83,000
Clyde & Co £80,000
Forsters £80,000
Kennedys £80,000
Trowers & Hamlins £80,000
Wiggin £79,000
Harbottle & Lewis £78,000
Howard Kennedy £78,000
Lewis Silkin £78,000
Womble Bond Dickinson £78,000
Gateley £75,000
Irwin Mitchell £75,000
Penningtons Manches Cooper £75,000
TLT £75,000
Wedlake Bell £75,000
Hill Dickinson £72,000
Michelmores £72,000
Bates Wells £70,000
Burges Salmon £68,000
Winckworth Sherwood £67,000
Birketts £65,000
RWK Goodman £62,000
Stevens & Bolton £62,000
Foot Anstey £60,000
Walker Morris £60,000
Weightmans £60,000
Mills & Reeve £58,000
Ashfords £57,000
Brabners £50,000
Fletchers £36,750
Express Solicitors £33,000
Accutrainee Not applicable
Bevan Brittan Undisclosed
DWF Group Undisclosed
Greenberg Traurig Undisclosed
Kingsley Napley Undisclosed
Russell-Cooke Undisclosed
Shakespeare Martineau Undisclosed

*Law firm pays London-based newly qualified lawyers $225,000. GBP figure calculated via XE.com on 8 November 2023.
**Law firm pays London-based newly qualified lawyers $215,000. GBP figure calculated via XE.com on 6 November 2023.

The 2024 Firms Most List — featuring the Legal Cheek Survey results in full
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