Bingham's £100,000 NQ salary record smashed
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A little-known US law firm is set to eclipse Bingham’s whopping £100,000 newly qualified (NQ) salary in a bid to attract top class junior lawyers to its fledgling Aberdeen office.
Texas-based Keaton Kint Kujan McManus Hockney Fenster & Kobayashi is offering an eye-watering £165,000 to fill an NQ vacancy that has remained unfilled for almost six months. Previously, the job was advertised with a salary of £60,000 plus bonus but despite the recession attracted no applications as young lawyers continue to plum for City firms.
Keaton Kint’s two-partner Aberdeen office was launched in Autumn 2009 to focus on energy work but has struggled to attract junior lawyers. The firm is therefore hoping that by offering an NQ salary that dwarfs those paid by the City elite will give the firm a competitive edge. It hopes to treble the size of the office within 12 months.
The managing partner of Keaton Kint’s Aberdeen office Douglas Duthie said: “We’ve been trying for some time to attract good candidates to north east Scotland, but as soon as the Scottish students graduate they want to head off to the City. We can understand that but we want prospective young lawyers to know that Aberdeen has a lot to offer - everything is walking distance from your home or office, the city is at the gateway to the highlands with excellent walking, fishing and shooting.”
“We now want to match that in monetary way by offering this excellent pay package to our trainees,” added Duthie.
As reported in Lawyer2B.com in February Boston-based Bingham emerged as one of the most generous employers in the legal market, paying its NQs a £100,000 salary (read more).
In contrast, magic circle NQ salaries range from £59,000 to £61,000.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE ABOUT TO PICK THE PHONE UP TO KEATON KINT YOU MIGHT WANT TO ABANDON SHIP AS THE ABOVE STORY IS OF COURSE AN APRIL FOOL!!
Readers' comments (9)
Phil | 1-Apr-2010 9:46 am
And that's one of my favourite movies too!
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Anonymous | 1-Apr-2010 10:10 am
Is this for real - how can anyone justify paying a snotty 23 year old £165,000??? The world's going crazy..
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Anonymous | 1-Apr-2010 10:11 am
WHAT???!!! One way ticket to Aberdeen pleeeeeaassse?!!!
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Anonymous | 1-Apr-2010 10:15 am
I agree.... this is a totally inappropriate amount to pay anyone who is just qualified. By doing this law firms will start creating a football/WAG culture among trainees and NQs who are too young and too stupid to know how to handle that sort of wage.
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Anonymous | 1-Apr-2010 10:18 am
I think trainees are worked soooo hard during their training contract that they deserve to enjoy a fair old lump sum to play with once they qualify. I see that this is a two-partner firm so I suspect that the cash rich NQs will have scarce little time to spent their new-found wealth. but good luck to them I say!
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Cam Gow | 1-Apr-2010 10:18 am
Can I just point out that today is April 1st kids.
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LawyerNot2B | 1-Apr-2010 10:21 am
Well if this were a true story then none of these candidates stand a chance given their poor attention to detail - remind me what date is it.........? But have to admit it did nearly get me too. Very amusing....
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Kevin Spacey | 1-Apr-2010 12:01 pm
Usual Suspects. Great film.
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Kz | 5-Apr-2010 6:54 pm
hahahahahha!! :-)
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