Qualifying in September In our latest Career Conundrum, a soon-to-be associate is eager to hear how others are finding the NQ recruitment market. “Hello Legal Cheek. I have a career conundrum that I would like you to put publish to…
PEP climbs to £1.4 million Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) has reported solid financial results for the year prior to its summer merger with US outfit Kramer Levin. The firm, which officially merged with Kramer Levin last month to form Herbert…
Regional NQs now on £65.5k Gowling WLG has increased pay for its newly qualified (NQ) solicitors, with London lawyers receiving a £7,000 boost to £105,000. NQs in the firm’s Birmingham and Leeds offices are also seeing a pay rise —…
Strong results fuelled by US growth Magic Circle firm Clifford Chance has posted solid increases in both revenue and profit for the past financial year, as City firms continue to unveil their results. The firm’s latest figures report a 9%…
Remark amounted to misconduct, watchdog finds A family judge has been formally advised after making a remark that effectively questioned the complainant’s immigration status. Judge Kharin Cox had asked during a hearing whether the applicant’s need for a declaration of…
£28,090 in London, £24,916 elsewhere The Law Society of England and Wales has recommended a 2.45% increase in the minimum salary for trainee solicitors, aligning the uplift with the current rate of inflation. From September 2025, the recommended minimum salary…
Financial results season gathers pace Magic Circle firm Linklaters has reported a bumper set of financial results for the year ended 30 April 2025, with both revenue and profit reaching record highs. Revenue hit £2.32 billion — an 11% increase…
Open thread So far, it’s shaping up to be another summer of salary boosts across the City — some relatively minor, others more substantial. As in previous years, Legal Cheek commenters have questioned what impact these pay rises have further…
20 months for fraud A high street paralegal has been jailed after using an erasable pen and her law firm’s power of attorney to steal more than £11,500 from vulnerable clients in residential care. Emma Charlotte Amey was working in…
Extra £5,000 Baker McKenzie is the latest City law firm to raise the salaries of its newly qualified (NQ) associates, increasing pay by £5,000 to £145,000. The uplift, which took effect on 1 July, brings the firm’s London-based NQs in…