US law firms emerge as top performers in UK trainee satisfaction report

Anna O’Boyle (she/her) is acting senior content and engagement coordinator at LawCareers.Net

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US law firms are growing in popularity among UK trainees, with higher newly qualified (NQ) salaries helping firms including Kirkland & Ellis International LLP and Latham & Watkins climb the rankings of the most attractive legal employers.

The findings come from Chambers’ annual report on UK trainee satisfaction, which surveyed 1,019 trainees working at 86 leading UK law firms and collected data on NQ salaries, working hours and workload predictability, among other factors.

Firm culture remains trainees’ biggest consideration when choosing an employer, cited by 76% of those surveyed, followed by reputation and prestige at 70%. However, the report also highlights a widening pay gap between US and magic circle firms. Average NQ salaries at US firms have reached £168,000, compared with £150,000 at magic circle firms. City and national firms offer averages of £109,600 and £109,000, respectively.

Within the report, Kirkland & Ellis topped the attractiveness rankings, followed by Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP. Latham & Watkins and Addleshaw Goddard ranked joint third, while Paul, Weiss, Bird & Bird and Burges Salmon LLP shared fifth place. The factors driving these rankings varied from firm to firm, with HSF Kramer’s position driven by practice strength and Latham & Watkins’ by quality of work.

The research also identified differences in working hours. Magic circle trainees work an average of 53 hours a week, compared with 49 hours at US firms and 39 hours at national firms. Although 70% of trainees said they were happy in their roles, only 44% believed they had a good work-life balance and just 16% said their workload was predictable.

The proportion of trainees planning to leave their firm within two years has fallen to 14%, down from 21% in 2022. Meanwhile, 65% said they aspire to become partners at their current firm.

Cait Evans, global talent head of research at Chambers, said US firms were “disrupting the traditional hierarchy” of prestigious legal employers, with pay an important factor in their growing attractiveness. Evans commented on the report: “While firm culture and reputation remain the key deciding factors for talented, aspiring lawyers, the old elite cannot assume that their brand will remain among the most desirable in the face of stiff competition from US counterparts.”