The top 10 UK law firms have increased their hourly rates by almost 40% over the past five years, according to a survey by PwC. The average hourly rate charged by the biggest UK-headquartered law firms by revenue in 2024 was £449, compared to £321 in 2019. All UK law firms in the top 100 saw double-digit growth in their average rates.
Trainees who qualified via the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) are said to be underperforming in core legal skills compared to those who completed the Legal Practice Course (LPC), according to new research by Legal Cheek.