Bakers raising to £140k in next 1-2 weeks. Awaiting partner sign-off

Less diversity … that’s not a good thing and actually the firm is trying to address it. It does feel like a private school + Oxbridge club sometimes at Macs but I have never witnessed anything toxic – most people are decent.

Hierarchical – agreed that it is a good thing when it comes to clear directions from management & co – there are no bad surprises at Macs.

Geographical footprint – agree this worked well for us as being the random outlier helps when getting referrals from similar firms in the US and the EU or even from the MC when they are conflicted. That said, the market for such firms is very limited in the City and most City firms were right to become global / international. Hard to see how Freshfields or, in another category, DLA could be criticised for that approach. As to culture, this does not make much of a difference IMO, although it is true that there are only a few associates from outside the UK (never mind partners), which feels a bit odd for an international law firm (the work/clients are international).

Didn’t they retain 95% of their trainees this year?

Baker used to pay more than most sc firms but less than most mc firms before this years increase. Not sure if they can match that now

Agreed – I did a Vac Scheme there this year. Still felt very Old Boys Club. Case in point – a very hard working trainee (who happened to be a PoC) was teased and made fun of for being ‘anti-social’.

The bully – another trainee who apparently was shagging his way through the trainee cohort – had no reprimands against him for this and seemed to be in the managing partners’ good books, despite doing half the work.

Not saying it doesn’t happen in other firms but from my experience (and compared to other vac schemes at other firms) there was a much more toxic air to the place.

Loool “universal credit” wannabe and actual lawyers are so out of touch it’s ridiculous 😂😂

Has bakers historically paid more than SC and MC? I know they’re nominally US but has pay previously reflected that?

Doesn’t apply to you lol, it will be different by the time you get here, and you might not even stay on past your TC (low retention this year…)

Seen on ROF:
“ You love to see it. Hopefully the US stragglers at the £140-150k mark will soon increase. Then the rest of the silver circle will join Hogan Lovells and Macs. Maybe one day we can even dream that CMS, Addleshaw, Dentons and the Shed will stop their NQs claiming universal credit. One can dream”

White & Case, Cooley, Dechert, Jones Day, Covington, and my firm are just a handful of US firms in London still paying £140-150k.

It’s fair to say that, for most people, the MC is more attractive than these firms at the same price-point.

I hope they raise quickly or I’m going to start regretting my decision.

“Most US firms pay Cravath scale”… written like a true law student? There are quite a few US firms who clearly don’t pay cravath in London. That’s just basic knowledge and for any associate who has ever worked in one of those non-Cravath paying US firms in London (as I have done previously), you know that a massive point of contention among London associates is always the differential in first year US associate and NQ UK salaries.

I can’t speak for every US firm, but knowing current associates at both JD and Dechert those NQ salaries are definitely up to date. So the point about them having lost their market position seems a valid one… At this point why train at a non-Cravath paying US firm in London, when you could go MC (or even SC).

Dechert not moving hasn’t suprised me because of their litigation issues with their former White Collar head (City AM reported earlier this year how much they’d had to pay out so far which was eye watering) and I’ve heard both JD and Dechert have had issues with deal flow in certain practices (Corporate etc).

do u know the salary increases?

New financial year starts in July. Promotions just announced. Salaries to follow next week.

Absolutely malarkey

If it’s stuck in the past it’s stuck in a very pleasant past. Less diversity stuff, very hierarchical (a good thing), much more limited geographical footprint.

Could be worse, you could be an associate.