Solicitors - North East

Our unique position in the legal marketplace has allowed us to compile the following table:

Notes
In a 'Candidate Driven' marketplace, we would suggest that the following areas are still more likely to attract a premium: Construction, PFI, Competition, Pensions and Employment.

A premium may also be awarded because of one or more of the following reasons:

• Shortage of good candidates
• 'Magic Circle' City candidates
• Relocation
• Bringing a following
• Outstanding billing performance
• Strong track record of introducing new work to the firm

Bonus schemes and benefits packages come in many different shapes and sizes, and can add anything up to 25% to the figures given here. If you would like to find out whether your bonus scheme and/or benefits package is competitive, please call one of our consultants.

It has also come to our attention now that certain firms have moved away from set salary scales and are increasingly rewarding fee earners in accordance with their billing performances. Increasingly, this means that solicitors of one or more year's PQE can earn at least as well as their more experience colleagues.

The high salary levels of NQ's that has been seen at the larger firms since September 2001 are likely to remain static or increase nominally. The general view is that NQ's are slightly overpaid and that the bandings for 0-5 PQE salaries are too tight. Firms therefore feel that they need alleviate disgruntled 3-4 year PQE's as a matter of priority.

In our experience, we have known firms to deviate from the salary bandings, especially if it results in an appointment at a lesser salary than reflected by the bandings. It is not uncommon for prospective employees to be asked in interview, their present salary level; this then used as a yardstick on the back of which, enough of a financial incentive is offered to facilitate the move, but not in itself reflective of PQE and bandings as in our structure.