Bird & Bird bumps NQ solicitor pay to £102k

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By Legal Cheek on

5

Rise of just over 4%

City of London at sunset
City law firm Bird & Bird will increase salaries for its newly qualified (NQ) solicitors from September.

The outfit confirmed rates for its new associates will move from £98,000 to £102,000, an uplift of just over 4% or an extra £4k

The move will see Bird & Bird offer a six-figure NQ salary for the first time, bringing it in line with Watson Farley & Williams and putting it ahead of Dentons, HFW, and Stephenson Harwood (£100,000).

The 2025 Legal Cheek Firms Most List

The Legal Cheek Firms Most List shows Bird & Bird recruits around 18 trainees each year on starting salary of £47,000.

A number of firms have increased junior lawyer salaries in recent weeks, with Eversheds Sutherland and Pinsent Masons raising pay to £110,000 and £105,000 respectively. Elsewhere, Ashurst (£125,000 to £140,000), DLA Piper (£110,000 to £130,000), and CMS (£110,000 to £120,000) have also announced pay rises.

5 Comments

Kirkland NQ

I thought there was something wrong with my phone, but no, they are offering that little as an NQ salary.

Non-US Advocate

Hourly rate probably works out better than those gullible enough to work at Kirkland…

Kirkland NQ

Sorry can you repeat? Couldn’t hear you over the sound of my Lambo.

Anonymous

Wen HSF?

Latham SA

Yikes

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