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Law Firm News Stories

Slaughter and May abandons universal pay grades
18 January 2013

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For the first time ever, Slaughter and May will be paying different salaries to associates of the same level of qualification.

The firm announced yesterday that it would be introducing a new appraisal system "that will review and reward performance more consistently and transparently". In addition, Slaughters says there will be a "limited amount of differentiation in associate salaries and bonuses". The firm claims no one should be paid any less, but that star lawyers may be paid more.

It's not as seismic a change as it might have been, as it only applies to more senior associates. And Graham White, the firm's Executive Partner, told RollOnFriday that Slaughters was just "dipping a toe in the water": so it's a fair bet that the pay differential will be pretty slight. But it's still an entirely new approach from a very conservative firm.

The new look Slaughter and May. Lawyers to be paid what they're worth and to be allowed to undo their top button during clement weather.

White said that the salary differentiation was "a minor change" and claimed that "being open about appraisals and how associates are scored is much more important".

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anonymous user 18/01/2013 10:30 Rate it 4 Report as offensive I am not sure why this is big news now. Associates of the same level of qualification have been paid differently so far anyway, at junior and senior level. Only it was not explained by partners to associates, so associates had to find out from their peers whether they have been paid more or less, which resulted in some uncomfortable chats with HR.
anonymous user 18/01/2013 16:38 Rate it 0 Report as offensive No news I worked at a top(?) twenty firm for many years and this has been going on all that time. They might say they have a pay structure but it is amazing how many are not in it because they are paid more and then there are the secret bonuses! God I needn't go on about about how "everyone" gets the same pay rise in the grades but when you see the salaries that was not the case. HR think they keep it all a secret but no!
Lydia 25/01/2013 21:28 Rate it 1 Report as offensive Would be interesting to see the gender differences.

anonymous user
18/01/2013 10:30

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I am not sure why this is big news now. Associates of the same level of qualification have been paid differently so far anyway, at junior and senior level. Only it was not explained by partners to associates, so associates had to find out from their peers whether they have been paid more or less, which resulted in some uncomfortable chats with HR.

anonymous user
18/01/2013 16:38

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No news I worked at a top(?) twenty firm for many years and this has been going on all that time. They might say they have a pay structure but it is amazing how many are not in it because they are paid more and then there are the secret bonuses! God I needn't go on about about how "everyone" gets the same pay rise in the grades but when you see the salaries that was not the case. HR think they keep it all a secret but no!

Lydia
25/01/2013 21:28

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Would be interesting to see the gender differences.