Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan is increasing compensation for its associates in London, with newly qualified lawyers set to earn £180,000. This represents an 18% rise from the firm’s previous rate of £152,000 and aligns Quinn Emanuel with the market-leading salary set earlier this year by Gibson Dunn for its London NQs.

The firm has also introduced a new pay scale effective from June 1st, based on seniority. This scale ranges from £195,000 for 1PQE associates to £355,000 for associates with 7PQE and above, up from £160,000 and £295,000 respectively.

Alex Gerbi, London co-managing partner at Quinn Emanuel, expressed satisfaction with the firm’s ability to reward its legal professionals for their daily contributions to the firm’s success in London. He emphasized the firm’s commitment to attracting top talent and supporting growth. He stated, “We have decided to implement significant salary increases for our associates, starting at £180,000 for NQs and escalating substantially with seniority. We believe our firm offers unparalleled opportunities for the brightest dispute lawyers, and this decision underscores our commitment to aligning salaries with these opportunities.”

Quinn Emanuel’s revised salary structure places it at the forefront among US firms in London, where a competitive landscape has driven several firms to increase NQ salaries to £170,000 or higher. Meanwhile, elite UK firms have also raised their NQ pay rates, though they still trail behind their US counterparts anchored in the lucrative US market.