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Apr 12, 2026

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The world’s richest man has lost in cases ranging from shareholder fraud to claims that his rivals stole AI secrets
Law

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Apr 11, 2026

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Firms may raise prices for fixed-fee contracts if clients keep sending flurries of emails and letters
Law

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Apr 10, 2026

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Britain’s largest provider of vehicle loans wants to draw a line under scandal that rocked the sector
Law

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W5690 · Apr 10, 2026

Hi!

Have any of you heard from Kingsley Napley since your submission of the training contract application (deadline 31st March 2026)?

Thank you.

Amaym Fatima · Apr 10, 2026

Hi guys!
I am a penultimate year law student currently doing my distance learning University of London LLB degree from Pakistan. I am interested in applying for vacation schemes for next summer in London and Birmingham. I can obtain a temporary work visa and I will be done with my degree by then too. I do also plan on moving to the United Kingdom and settling there after my degree.

I have noticed that most firms require in person interviews for vacation schemes. Do I have any chance of being accepted?

Apr 9, 2026

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Financial crime cases can be vulnerable to long delays and procedural gridlock
Law

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Apr 8, 2026

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SEC’s $53mn payout over fake accounts scandal is less than half the amount originally planned
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Apr 8, 2026

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Alberto Safra was charged more than $162,000 on one day alone by US law firm WilmerHale
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axk323 · Apr 7, 2026

Hello @Abbie Whitlock I feel like this might be a bit silly but I have a Vac scheme at a law firm in a couple of weeks. I really want to convert it into a TC offer. However, the firm have an AC after the Vac scheme to decide who receives a TC offer.
I guess I want to know roughly how important is the AC in this context. I.e. if I do poorly in the written ex but do well in the interview and group ex, and the vacation scheme am I still likely to get an offer ?

Zak991 · Apr 6, 2026

Anyone heard back from King & Spalding yet? or has guage when we could hear, I believe the AC's will be in april, if anyone has done them before, have fast did u find out after the application deadline, thanks

Apr 1, 2026

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Jon Henes finds lucrative role connecting ambitious law firms with rainmakers seeking big paydays
Law

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khadija18 · Mar 31, 2026

hi all! I hope you're well

I have applied to a firm which operates on a semi-blind recruitment process i.e. "We are operating a semi-blind recruitment process, so please do not include your address, school name, university name or grades throughout your application, other than in the dedicated contact detail and academic sections".

One of the sections asked: In what ways have your academic studies, qualifications, and work experience equipped you for a legal career?

In this, I accidentally named my university without realising - will this cause any blockers?

I'd appreciate any guidance, thank you so much - a worried applicant :')

Mar 31, 2026

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Judgment reversing earlier High Court decision is welcomed by law firms
Law

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khadija18 · Mar 31, 2026

hi all! I hope you're well

I've just realised I made a typo in my Farrer & Co application - I wrote 'F-20 statement' instead of '20-F statement' in both my work history and written questions (wrote it twice). Does anyone have an idea of how strict Farrer & Co usually is with errors like this? I'm debating whether to email in but I also don't want to draw any potentially unnecessary attention to it! Also - does anyone know what they interview process is like - is it 'application blind' or do partners have your application on hand? I'd appreciate any insight - thank you so much !! <3

Mar 31, 2026

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Macfarlanes has transcended its roots to become one of London’s most profitable legal partnerships
Law

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Mar 30, 2026

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Chief executive says fees will also have to rise to address growing demands
Law

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Abbie Whitlock · Mar 30, 2026

Hi all!

I have put together this thread to provide a clear and up-to-date overview of NQ (newly qualified) solicitor salaries across law firms, ranked from highest to lowest.

It isn’t always easy to find information on NQ salaries and compare them across firms, despite how relevant it is when making application decisions. This thread aims to bring that information together in one place so it is easier to see at a glance.

A few things to note:

Salaries are based on London NQ figures where available
Figures are base salary only (excluding bonuses and benefits)
Information is compiled from publicly available sources and may be subject to change - please feel free to comment with any updates or corrections!

I hope this is a useful reference point when deciding where to apply, how to prioritise firms, and assessing your options - best of luck!

(This list is dynamic and will be updated as firms announce any changes to their NQ salary) LAST EDITED: Wednesday 3rd June, 2026

NQ Salary Ranking 2026/27:

Firm Ranking	Firm Name	NQ Salary (£)
1	Davis Polk & Wardwell	£180,000
2	Gibson Dunn	£180,000
3	Paul Weiss	£180,000
4	Willkie Farr & Gallagher	£180,000
5	Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom	£177,000
6	Sullivan & Cromwell	£177,000
7	Goodwin	£175,000
8	King & Spalding	£175,000
9	Kirkland & Ellis	£175,000
10	Milbank	£175,000
11	Sidley Austin	£175,000
12	White & Case	£175,000
13	Debevoise & Plimpton	£173,100
14	Latham & Watkins	£173,077
15	Vinson & Elkins	£173,077
16	Fried Frank	£173,000
17	Morgan Lewis	£173,000
18	Ropes & Gray	£170,000
19	Weil Gotshal & Manges	£170,000
20	Akin	£167,000
21	Morrison Foerster	£167,000
22	Paul Hastings	£167,000
23	Dechert	£165,000
24	Jones Day	£165,000
25	Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton	£164,500
26	Orrick	£160,000
27	Winston & Strawn	£160,000
28	Cooley	£157,000
29	A&O Shearman	£150,000
30	Clifford Chance	£150,000
31	Freshfields	£150,000
32	Linklaters	£150,000
33	Mayer Brown	£150,000
34	Slaughter and May	£150,000
35	Baker McKenzie	£145,000
36	Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer	£145,000
37	Ashurst	£140,000
38	Hogan Lovells	£140,000
39	Macfarlanes	£140,000
40	Norton Rose Fulbright	£135,000
41	DLA Piper	£130,000
42	Travers Smith	£130,000
43	BCLP	£125,000
44	Katten	£125,000
45	Reed Smith	£125,000
46	CMS	£120,000
47	K&L Gates	£120,000
48	Simmons & Simmons	£120,000
49	Taylor Wessing	£115,000
50	Eversheds Sutherland	£110,000
51	Squire Patton Boggs	£110,000
52	Watson Farley & Williams	£107,000
53	Gowling WLG	£105,000
54	Pinsent Masons	£105,000
55	Shoosmiths	£105,000
56	Stephenson Harwood	£105,000
57	Dentons	£104,000
58	HFW	£103,500
59	Bird & Bird	£102,000
60	Addleshaw Goddard	£100,000
61	Fieldfisher	£100,000
62	Mishcon de Reya	£100,000
63	Osborne Clarke	£97,000
64	Bristows	£95,000
65	RPC	£95,000
66	Withers	£95,000
67	Charles Russell Speechlys	£93,000
68	Farrer & Co	£89,000
69	Fladgate	£88,000
70	Forsters	£88,000
71	Clyde & Co	£85,000
72	Harbottle & Lewis	£85,000
73	Kennedys	£85,000
74	Lewis Silkin	£85,000
75	TLT	£85,000
76	Trowers & Hamlin	£85,000
77	Kingsley Napley	£84,000
78	Howard Kennedy	£83,000
79	Wiggin	£83,000
80	Womble Bond Dickinson	£83,000
81	Wedlake Bell	£82,000
82	Gateley	£80,000
83	Marriott Harrison	£80,000
84	Hill Dickinson	£78,500
85	Irwin Mitchell	£78,000
86	Michelmores	£78,000
87	Payne Hicks Beach	£78,000
88	Burges Salmon	£76,000
89	Maples Teesdale	£75,400
90	Bates Wells	£75,000
91	Winckworth Sherwood	£75,000
92	Cripps	£72,000
93	Bevan Brittan	£70,000
94	Birketts	£70,000
95	Weightmans	£70,000
96	Walker Morris	£67,000
97	Stevens & Bolton	£66,000
98	Foot Anstey	£63,000
99	Mills & Reeve	£63,000
100	Ashfords	£61,000
101	Brabners	£53,000
102	Leigh Day	£52,000
103	Moore Barlow	£48,500
104	Express Solicitors	£36,000

Jaysen · Mar 29, 2026

Hey everyone,

For those of you with upcoming vacation schemes, whether in Spring or Summer, you can use this thread to discuss them. You can also ask any questions to help you convert your scheme.

@Abbie Whitlock and I will be around to help

Jaysen · Mar 29, 2026

Okay, I never thought I'd be posting my own thread, but why not.

I'm taking SQE1 in July. You can read more about my reasons here.

I'll use this thread to write about the process.

What I'm hoping is I can share, in real time:

Advice I get about how to do well
Techniques I use to study
Things that aren't obvious

If anyone is also taking the SQE now or in the future, you are also very welcome to start your own thread in this forum.

W5690 · Mar 28, 2026

Hi!

Have you heard from Arnold & Porter since you submitted your training contract application (deadline: 1st March 2026)?

Thank you.

Mar 28, 2026

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Rising asset values and increasingly complex families spark increase in cases heading to court
Law

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Mar 27, 2026

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‘Omnibus’ claim comes days before regulator unveils details of mis-selling redress scheme
Law

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Rooksandknights · Mar 27, 2026

How are you finding it- any interviews, how long did it take to get them? I started applying at the end of February 2026 and I have not had applications progressed (made about 20 so far- I have no legal work experience but I do have the SQE1/SQE2).

Edem · Mar 26, 2026

Hello everyone , I’m a penultimate LLB student from Ghana applying for the Linklaters Africa Clerkship.

Mar 25, 2026

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National Crime Agency has frozen multimillion-pound assets of woman with ambition of working in banking
Law

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