Comments on: HSF Kramer pushes NQ solicitor pay to £145k https://www.legalcheek.com/2025/07/hsf-kramer-pushes-nq-solicitor-pay-to-145k/ Legal news, insider insight and careers advice Sat, 05 Jul 2025 08:15:41 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.2 By: City Associate https://www.legalcheek.com/2025/07/hsf-kramer-pushes-nq-solicitor-pay-to-145k/#comment-1220561 Sat, 05 Jul 2025 08:15:41 +0000 https://www.legalcheek.com/?p=221982#comment-1220561 HSF Kramer’s £145k NQ salary drops to around £70k after tax, NI, pensions, and student loan deductions. But it still beats firms paying £100k–£125k, where NQs hit the 60% tax trap due to lost personal allowance above £100k. Net income matters more than headline figures now.

These pay jumps also create bunching. Junior lawyers earn close to mid-level associates, which is causing frustration among those with more experience but little pay progression. Expect rising internal pressure at firms that don’t adjust associate banding soon.

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By: Joker https://www.legalcheek.com/2025/07/hsf-kramer-pushes-nq-solicitor-pay-to-145k/#comment-1220231 Thu, 03 Jul 2025 11:12:06 +0000 https://www.legalcheek.com/?p=221982#comment-1220231 In reply to Woah.

lol what, that hasn’t been announced.

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By: HSF Senior Associate https://www.legalcheek.com/2025/07/hsf-kramer-pushes-nq-solicitor-pay-to-145k/#comment-1220198 Thu, 03 Jul 2025 07:30:11 +0000 https://www.legalcheek.com/?p=221982#comment-1220198 In reply to HSFK 3PQE (Funds).

Whoops! This shows how amateur our funds capability is…

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By: HSFK 3PQE (Funds) https://www.legalcheek.com/2025/07/hsf-kramer-pushes-nq-solicitor-pay-to-145k/#comment-1220163 Thu, 03 Jul 2025 00:34:56 +0000 https://www.legalcheek.com/?p=221982#comment-1220163 In reply to Small banana.

For reference I finish work at 7/7.30pm everyday

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By: A pork scratching https://www.legalcheek.com/2025/07/hsf-kramer-pushes-nq-solicitor-pay-to-145k/#comment-1220146 Wed, 02 Jul 2025 19:09:30 +0000 https://www.legalcheek.com/?p=221982#comment-1220146 In reply to DWF doesn’t have sticking plaster issues.

The non-disclosure of salaries says all you need to know about DWF.

From the grapevine I’ve heard regional rates are around £50k and London is around £70-80k but can’t confirm.

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By: Wild take https://www.legalcheek.com/2025/07/hsf-kramer-pushes-nq-solicitor-pay-to-145k/#comment-1220144 Wed, 02 Jul 2025 18:49:26 +0000 https://www.legalcheek.com/?p=221982#comment-1220144 In reply to Country lawyer.

We don’t sell our souls, we’re just not incompetent. You go to a high street solicitor, and beyond the SQE surface level procedure and answers that could have been better focused by chat gpt, they give you some drivel at a still high price. City solicitors are paid a ridiculous amount of money because they are precise, get to the bottom of things, and get it right. Access to justice is low not because of what the few really good lawyers do, it’s because the average non-corporate person either can’t afford a lawyer or will have to spend a lot of money on a lawyer that will be barely above the SRA’s standard of not making a completely egregious mess, but will still mess up the case by one small omission after the other and, frankly, a lazy service given what an advocate is supposed to be. Enjoy thinking being a lawyer is about dating TR1 forms and explaining the most obvious 5 rules in PACE to the degree of a medium-good law student at Kings.

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By: JBBM https://www.legalcheek.com/2025/07/hsf-kramer-pushes-nq-solicitor-pay-to-145k/#comment-1220131 Wed, 02 Jul 2025 16:59:14 +0000 https://www.legalcheek.com/?p=221982#comment-1220131 Meagre salary for a meagre lawyer living a meagre life at likely a meagre firm. Congrats.

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By: Insider https://www.legalcheek.com/2025/07/hsf-kramer-pushes-nq-solicitor-pay-to-145k/#comment-1220123 Wed, 02 Jul 2025 15:31:32 +0000 https://www.legalcheek.com/?p=221982#comment-1220123 In reply to Country lawyer.

This is such dross. You have no idea what City law involves and your sympathy is unwanted.

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By: RPC https://www.legalcheek.com/2025/07/hsf-kramer-pushes-nq-solicitor-pay-to-145k/#comment-1220082 Wed, 02 Jul 2025 08:56:46 +0000 https://www.legalcheek.com/?p=221982#comment-1220082 In reply to Ex RPC.

Hopefully Sassi changes this tone. Otherwise the firm will fall fast.

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By: Anon https://www.legalcheek.com/2025/07/hsf-kramer-pushes-nq-solicitor-pay-to-145k/#comment-1220081 Wed, 02 Jul 2025 08:42:45 +0000 https://www.legalcheek.com/?p=221982#comment-1220081 In reply to Small banana.

This has to be bait. I don’t know anyone at hsf working substantially fewer hrs than mc

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By: Small banana https://www.legalcheek.com/2025/07/hsf-kramer-pushes-nq-solicitor-pay-to-145k/#comment-1220079 Wed, 02 Jul 2025 08:22:04 +0000 https://www.legalcheek.com/?p=221982#comment-1220079 Good deal for HSF lawyers, considering they work 40% less than their MC counterparts.

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By: Clown https://www.legalcheek.com/2025/07/hsf-kramer-pushes-nq-solicitor-pay-to-145k/#comment-1220078 Wed, 02 Jul 2025 08:21:08 +0000 https://www.legalcheek.com/?p=221982#comment-1220078 In reply to AG denier.

Attorney General

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By: Ex RPC https://www.legalcheek.com/2025/07/hsf-kramer-pushes-nq-solicitor-pay-to-145k/#comment-1220035 Wed, 02 Jul 2025 03:42:39 +0000 https://www.legalcheek.com/?p=221982#comment-1220035 In reply to Whyy.

RPC has not kept up with raises for a long time. It is very telling that articles discussing salary do not include RPC anymore – there simply isn’t anything to report.

It is trying to position itself as a litigation powerhouse competing with the best litigation teams in the city but will not pay the commensurate salaries. Our former managing partner said in a town hall that the increased cost of living does not mean we should be paid more because if the cost of living went down they wouldn’t be giving us a pay cut.

I was a junior associate and left. I now make more than a senior associate there does.

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By: HSF Senior Associate https://www.legalcheek.com/2025/07/hsf-kramer-pushes-nq-solicitor-pay-to-145k/#comment-1219997 Tue, 01 Jul 2025 21:25:45 +0000 https://www.legalcheek.com/?p=221982#comment-1219997 In reply to Jibby Ebison.

Horrible bunching

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By: DWF doesn't have sticking plaster issues https://www.legalcheek.com/2025/07/hsf-kramer-pushes-nq-solicitor-pay-to-145k/#comment-1219992 Tue, 01 Jul 2025 20:37:13 +0000 https://www.legalcheek.com/?p=221982#comment-1219992 In reply to Bobby.

I’d love to actually see DWF London rates (probably similar to salaries at Greggs – no disrespect meant to Greggs workers), as they often get mentioned as being cheap skates but I’ve never seen any solid reference to salaries…

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By: Country lawyer https://www.legalcheek.com/2025/07/hsf-kramer-pushes-nq-solicitor-pay-to-145k/#comment-1219985 Tue, 01 Jul 2025 20:02:16 +0000 https://www.legalcheek.com/?p=221982#comment-1219985 I am 22 years pqe and earn less than 50% of that. It is fine I made my choice for the high street and have had a life as a consequence. I will retire this year. I pity the poor so and so’s selling their souls, and wellbeing to a meat grinder of a job – it is no longer a profession. Good luck,

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By: AG denier https://www.legalcheek.com/2025/07/hsf-kramer-pushes-nq-solicitor-pay-to-145k/#comment-1219975 Tue, 01 Jul 2025 17:42:11 +0000 https://www.legalcheek.com/?p=221982#comment-1219975 In reply to Someone you used to know.

Who is “AG”?

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By: Young money, baby! https://www.legalcheek.com/2025/07/hsf-kramer-pushes-nq-solicitor-pay-to-145k/#comment-1219974 Tue, 01 Jul 2025 17:41:04 +0000 https://www.legalcheek.com/?p=221982#comment-1219974 Young money!

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By: Dean https://www.legalcheek.com/2025/07/hsf-kramer-pushes-nq-solicitor-pay-to-145k/#comment-1219962 Tue, 01 Jul 2025 16:35:33 +0000 https://www.legalcheek.com/?p=221982#comment-1219962 In reply to Whyy.

Cheap firm that reacts to the ‘market’ about 1 to 2 years, and even then in as weak of a way possible to avoid mass exodus. It has always been the way.

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By: Bobby https://www.legalcheek.com/2025/07/hsf-kramer-pushes-nq-solicitor-pay-to-145k/#comment-1219959 Tue, 01 Jul 2025 15:15:28 +0000 https://www.legalcheek.com/?p=221982#comment-1219959 Legal Cheek: I think it’s time for another article where associates spill the information about band pay. It’s been years since the last one and clearly a lot has changed over time. Great to see all these headlines for NQs but we need to know what’s going on between the PQE bands and only other associates can share this info.

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By: Whyy https://www.legalcheek.com/2025/07/hsf-kramer-pushes-nq-solicitor-pay-to-145k/#comment-1219958 Tue, 01 Jul 2025 15:12:07 +0000 https://www.legalcheek.com/?p=221982#comment-1219958 Why isn’t RPC raising salaries

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