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 practice, sometimes an existing role can be made more comfortable
