The NQ Salary War

person organising money desk with laptop

Earlier this year, the London legal sector witnessed another intense salary battle.   The NQ “salary war” began in May 2024 when Magic Circle firm, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer increased their pay for NQ Lawyers in London from £125k to £150k. Linklaters and Clifford Chance were soon to follow in their footsteps, also hiking their NQ…

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The Power of the Job Description

As Legal Recruiters, we often get asked by our clients: “how can we improve our chances of securing the best candidates?” There are a number of considerations but not all are within immediate reach, such as, increasing salaries and radically improving company benefits. Therefore, we would urge hiring managers to consider step number one: The…

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5 benefits of becoming a Locum – from a top Locum Specialist

WHY CONSIDER LOCUM WORK? We know you are already sold on the flexibility locum work offers you, and everyone has different reasons why a locum contract is preferable to taking on a permanent role. At Birchrose Associates, our specialist Locum Team has over 30 years’ combined experience. We work with a significant number of solicitors, legal executives,…

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An introduction to the Solicitors Qualifying Exams (SQE) and what it means for the legal industry

With popularity of the newly established Solicitors Qualifying Exams (SQE) rising, the number of soon-to-be solicitors completing the Legal Practice Course (LPC) is expected to gradually decline. Yes, the LPC is anticipated to remain a viable route for several years, but what does this prominent change mean for future solicitors and the law firms looking…

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Using Locums to support employee wellbeing

Why holiday cover is so important for firms and their employees   The pandemic has highlighted the growing importance of wellbeing in the workplace, with firms investing in their employees’ health and wellbeing more so than ever before.   With holiday season upon us, we have experienced a record number of firms coming to us for…

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Legal recruitment and the power of the counteroffer

The pros and cons of a counteroffer in today’s market Receiving a counteroffer is now more common than ever before and it seems law firms will do their utmost to retain good employees. This is especially true of practice areas where talent is in short supply. However, in today’s candidate-driven market, does a counteroffer still hold the…

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