NQ lawyer salary rises, SQE grants and recommended trainee pay

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White & Case LLP, Gowling WLG (UK) LLP and Taylor Wessing have each revealed increases in salary for their newly qualified (NQ) lawyers, as pay rises for NQs continue to be announced across the profession.

NQs in White & Case’s London office will now receive a salary of £175,000, up from £150,000, bringing the global firm’s NQ pay in line with the likes of fellow US firm Sidley Austin LLP. Trainee salary at White & Case has also been boosted to £62,000 for first-year trainees and £67,000 for second years. The firm said the increases will come into effect from 1 January 2025, with a spokesperson stating that the hikes in pay underline the firm’s “position as the leading global law firm”.  

Meanwhile, Taylor Wessing has introduced a 15% rise, which will see its NQ lawyer salary reach £115,000. The firm has also raised its Solicitors Qualifying Exam grant to £17,000, increasing the financial support offered to its future trainees.

Elsewhere, Gowling’s NQ lawyers in London will see pay move up by 3% to £98,000. A 1.6% rise for those in the firm’s Birmingham and Leeds offices will increase their pay from £63,000 to £64,000. 

This comes as the Law Society of England and Wales announced that the new recommended minimum salary for trainee lawyers outside of London should be £24,320, while those in the City should be paid at least £27,418. Law Society President Nick Emmerson explained that the minimum salary policy “applies to anyone undertaking a period of recognised training, such as a training contract, or anyone employed with the primary purpose of gaining [qualifying work experience]”.