NQ Salary at a Top 5 Firm?

JonKelleher · 11-07-2014 3:36pm #1

Curious as to what a NQ solicitor at a top five firm earns?

NoQuarter · 11-07-2014 4:12pm

~50k

JonKelleher · 11-07-2014 4:31pm

Is that all?

drkpower · 11-07-2014 4:33pm

Im sure you can negotiate a higher figure.

JonKelleher · 11-07-2014 4:39pm

Is there scope to negotiate? Does the same salary not apply to all NQ?

NoQuarter · 11-07-2014 4:40pm

Yeah it's around 50. You wouldn't be able to negotiate if you're just finishing a training contract. It will be an across-the-board figure.

JonKelleher · 11-07-2014 4:45pm

NoQuarter wrote: »

Yeah it's around 50. You wouldn't be able to negotiate if you're just finishing a training contract. It will be an across-the-board figure.

Is there much variation between the top 5 firms?

NoQuarter · 11-07-2014 4:50pm

My best guess would be that they would all be within 5-7k of each other and that is probably extreme. ie 47-53k-ish

I personally think that is a good salary for someone who still hasn't a clue!

JonKelleher · 11-07-2014 4:51pm

NoQuarter wrote: »

My best guess would be that they would all be within 5-7k of each other and that is probably extreme. ie 47-53k-ish

I personally think that is a good salary for someone who still hasn't a clue!

Thanks a million. I take it you work for one of the firms?

chops018 · 11-07-2014 5:26pm

I would absolutely love to be just finished training and offered 50k a year with a top 5 firm.

Then again, I'm a graduate of the recession era, and still seriously struggling to earn any decent wage, so.........

JonKelleher · 11-07-2014 5:39pm

chops018 wrote: »

I would absolutely love to be just finished training and offered 50k a year with a top 5 firm.

Then again, I'm a graduate of the recession era, and still seriously struggling to earn any decent wage, so.........

Where did you graduate from? What degree classification did you earn?

chops018 · 11-07-2014 5:42pm

JonKelleher wrote: »

Where did you graduate from? What degree classification did you earn?

I don't want to put that info up here but I've Masters level education, all the FE1's passed and a year (ongoing) legal experience, finding it extremely difficult to get that elusive training contract, and it doesn't look like I'll be going to Blackhall this Septmeber, but, we go again as they say.......

Bepolite · 11-07-2014 6:21pm

OP I caution you against thinking the following: (I'm sure you're not)

I'll go to trinners / UCDeee, get a first then spend my days at Maples and nights in Krystal drininking champers and smoking cigars.

You will earn more in Lidl than a top 5 and probably work less hours.

DO NOT get involved in law unless you are willing to do it for peanuts, between the hours required in a top firm and the crap pay everywhere else you'll be lucky to be much above the minimum wage.

Bepolite · 11-07-2014 6:22pm

chops018 wrote: »

I don't want to put that info up here but I've Masters level education, all the FE1's passed and a year (ongoing) legal experience, finding it extremely difficult to get that elusive training contract, and it doesn't look like I'll be going to Blackhall this Septmeber, but, we go again as they say.......

I'm not going to the bar until next year, perhaps we will eventually meet after all...

muhahahahaha!

chops018 · 11-07-2014 6:36pm

Well the Inns and Blackhall are different..

Or how do you mean? (Am I missing something

)

Bepolite · 11-07-2014 9:21pm

chops018 wrote: »

Well the Inns and Blackhall are different..

Or how do you mean? (Am I missing something )

I know but we'll be moving in the same circles I would imagine.

JonKelleher · 12-07-2014 12:27am

Bepolite wrote: »

OP I caution you against thinking the following: (I'm sure you're not)

I'll go to trinners / UCDeee, get a first then spend my days at Maples and nights in Krystal drininking champers and smoking cigars.

You will earn more in Lidl than a top 5 and probably work less hours.

DO NOT get involved in law unless you are willing to do it for peanuts, between the hours required in a top firm and the crap pay everywhere else you'll be lucky to be much above the minimum wage.

Do you actually earn more in Lidl? Is the money not very good once you get 3 years PQE and above?

Bepolite · 12-07-2014 2:04am

JonKelleher wrote: »

Do you actually earn more in Lidl? Is the money not very good once you get 3 years PQE and above?

LILD graduate programme - 60K + Car once you're an Area Manager.

90% of NQ Solicitors 20K + Black Hall Fees

90% NQ Barristers 0K and Lunch if you've a nice master.

If you're in something for the money do a business degree/business and law.

drkpower · 12-07-2014 8:22am

JonKelleher wrote: »

Do you actually earn more in Lidl? Is the money not very good once you get 3 years PQE and above?

If you can get a traineeship/job at a big 5 firm, the money can be quite good but it is typically very difficult to get a job and the work (especially the hours) is typically very difficult. Have a look at the br,ightwater survey if you want to know the precise amounts.

Have you got a job/traineeship in a big 5. If not, be very careful about assuming you will get one.

Bepolite · 12-07-2014 10:12am

To balance my doom & gloom some what. The people at the top 5 I know (not that many and one of them has two masters degrees and has qualifiied in 2 other jurisdictions OP so you know your competition) LOVE it. A fair few NQ's I've copme across say the same thing, doing what I love, work is interesting - the hours fly by.

I suppose what was meant to be a rainbows and unicorns statement really only backs up what I said above.

Just to resume the doom & gloom, solicitors (barristers don't seem to have chance to get jaded before they starve to death) who hate the job, HATE the job.

JonKelleher · 12-07-2014 10:14am

drkpower wrote: »

If you can get a traineeship/job at a big 5 firm, the money can be quite good but it is typically very difficult to get a job and the work (especially the hours) is typically very difficult. Have a look at the br,ightwater survey if you want to know the precise amounts.

Have you got a job/traineeship in a big 5. If not, be very careful about assuming you will get one.

My son has, that's why I am so interested. However, he's been provided with very little information as to what the salary is like as he progresses; he only knows his starting salary.

Bepolite · 12-07-2014 10:18am

JonKelleher wrote: »

My son has, that's why I am so interested. However, he's been provided with very little information as to what the salary is like as he progresses; he only knows his starting salary.

It'll be completely down to him. He could be a partner in five years time earning more money than God or he could be fired. Kudos to him, he has beaten out 98% of his peers for the job. These firms are pretty good at hiring people that perform. The rest will be down to how hard he works, what oppitunities present themselves and a wee bit of luck.

drkpower · 12-07-2014 12:30pm

JonKelleher wrote: »

My son has, that's why I am so interested. However, he's been provided with very little information as to what the salary is like as he progresses; he only knows his starting salary.

Google brightwater salary survey legal. It gives figures for big 5 I think. That is a pretty accurate ballpark. Individual negotiation of salary is pretty rare for at least the first few years. You tend to increase as a band with your peers.

JonKelleher · 12-07-2014 12:47pm

drkpower wrote: »

Google brightwater salary survey legal. It gives figures for big 5 I think. That is a pretty accurate ballpark. Individual negotiation of salary is pretty rare for at least the first few years. You tend to increase as a band with your peers.

Cheers! I had heard mixed reports about the online surveys. I know for my profession, they are fairly inaccurate. The English firms seem to be far more open as regards salaries.

NQ Salary at a Top 5 Firm?

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