header-logo header-logo

06 May 2009
Categories: In-House , Legal News , Profession
printer mail-detail

In-house pips private practice on earnings

In brief

Average earnings for corporate counsel are £10k higher than the average for associates and assistants in the largest law firms, a new Law Society survey reveals.

The research found that the average salary for all full time corporate counsel, irrespective of position, was £80,000 and £55,000 for part-time workers for 2007–08.

Peter Wright, an associate at Nabarro and a member of the Junior Lawyer Division’s (JLD) executive committee, says the survey results might tempt more associates in-house but warns against a hasty move. He says: “A key JLD policy this year has been the ‘two-year wobble’ post qualification that occurs to a lot of young lawyers within the first few years of practice. Many change firm, while many leave the profession altogether. The Law Society survey has illustrated how a growing number now make the move to working inhouse.”

He says that although the change in culture and working practices can be very welcome and many find their new career as equally rewarding as anything they could have pursued in private

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

NLJ Career Profile: Nick Vernon, Walkers Bermuda

NLJ Career Profile: Nick Vernon, Walkers Bermuda

Nick Vernon of Walkers on swapping Birmingham for Bermuda and building an employment practice by the sea

Bird & Bird—Christian Bartsch

Bird & Bird—Christian Bartsch

Global firm re-elects CEO for second term

Fletchers Group—Miriam Hall

Fletchers Group—Miriam Hall

Business appoints managing director of operational excellence

NEWS

From blockbuster judgments to procedural shake-ups, the courts are busy reshaping litigation practice. Writing in NLJ this week, Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School hails the Court of Appeal's 'exquisite judgment’ in Mazur restoring the role of supervised non-qualified staff, and highlights a ‘mammoth’ damages ruling likened to War and Peace, alongside guidance on medical reporting fees, where a pragmatic 25% uplift was imposed

Momentum is building behind proposals to restrict children’s access to social media—but the legal and practical challenges are formidable. In NLJ this week, Nick Smallwood of Mills & Reeve examines global moves, including Australia’s under-16 ban and the UK's consultation
Reforms designed to rebalance landlord-tenant relations may instead penalise leaseholders themselves. In this week's NLJ, Mike Somekh of The Freehold Collective warns that the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 risks creating an ‘underclass’ of resident-controlled freehold companies
Timing is everything—and the Court of Appeal has delivered clarity on when proceedings are ‘brought’. In his latest 'Civil way' column for NLJ, Stephen Gold explains that a claim is issued for limitation purposes when the claim form is delivered to the court, even if fees are underpaid
The traditional ‘single, intensive day’ of financial dispute resolution (FDR) may be due for a rethink. Writing in NLJ this week, Rachel Frost-Smith and Lauren Guiler of Birketts propose a ‘split FDR’ model, separating judicial evaluation from negotiation
back-to-top-scroll