London: Quinn Emanuel sets record with £189,000 starting salary

Los Angeles-headquartered Quinn Emanuel has increased pay for newly qualified lawyers by £9,000, putting it ahead of its nearest US rivals in London and almost £40,000 above the highest-paying UK firms.

The move is expected to increase pressure on the City’s magic circle firms, whose newly qualified solicitors currently earn around £150,000.

Richard East, Quinn Emanuel’s senior partner in London, said the increases were designed to help the firm retain leading litigation talent.

“Our aim is to retain the top litigation talent,” he said, adding that salaries had been increased across the firm to keep it “at or above the top of the market”.

Lawyers with one year’s post-qualification experience will now earn £205,000, while those with two years’ experience will receive £231,000. Solicitors with seven years’ experience have seen salaries rise to £331,000.

The firm, which recently acted for Allwyn in its successful High Court challenge over the National Lottery licence, employs 125 lawyers in London.

Ria Karnik, a director at Major, Lindsey & Africa, a legal profession recruitment consultancy, said: “Eyes will begin to fall on the increasingly glaring pay discrepancy at this level. If this does prompt a fresh newly qualified pay war, we could expect movement across the whole market.”