DLA Piper boosts NQ salaries by 18%
updated on 13 June 2025
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Global law firm DLA Piper UK LLP has raised its London newly qualified (NQ) salaries by 18%, moving from £110,000 to £130,000. Salaries in the firm’s regional offices have also increased by 9%, taking pay from £75,000 to £82,000.
In addition to raising NQ pay, DLA Piper has raised first-year trainee pay to £52,000 and second-year trainee pay to £57,000, while first and second-year trainees outside of London are set to earn £35,500 and £39,000, respectively. These changes will be effective from the start of September.
UK country managing partner, Andrew Dyson, said: “We are making a significant investment into our people in the UK, recognising the importance of the UK legal market as a focus for growth within our international strategy. We are delighted to enhance the rewards to newly qualifying solicitors at a level that reflects the high performance of our firm in the UK.”
These changes reflect a broader trend of firms boosting compensation to attract and retain top legal talent across the UK. Both Ashurst LLP and Reed Smith have brought NQ pay up to £125,000.
CMS has followed suit with a near 10% increase, bringing its London NQ rate from £110,000 to £120,000. CMS has also introduced a series of regional pay rises. In Bristol, the firm’s NQ salaries have increased from £70,000 to £76,500. Meanwhile, in Manchester, Sheffield and Liverpool, NQ pay has risen from £62,000 to £68,000. Notably, pay in Scotland has risen from £60,000 to £68,000 for the firm’s NQs in its Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Glasgow offices. Similarly, trainee pay increases have also brought Scotland level with Manchester, Sheffield, and Liverpool, with first-year trainees earning £33,000 and second years receiving £35,000. Both London and Bristol trainee pay has remained unchanged.
