Brits lose out in US partner promotions

The US Law Firm's in London Salary Survey, carried out by recruitment consultants Taylor Root with The Lawyer, also revealed that 43 per cent of US firms expected associates to bill 1,900-2,199 hours per year.

Forty-seven per cent of the US firms in London that were surveyed had annual billing targets of 1,600-1,899 hours per year.

But the survey concluded: "Billable hours targets are higher than in UK firms, but because US firms have a more accurate approach to billing, it tends to be the case that actual hours in the office are in fact comparable to those at magic circle firms."