Lewis Silkin ups salaries; revamps recruitment

Lewis Silkin is shaking up its recruitment strategy in an effort to broaden the diversity of its trainee solicitors.

The London-based law firm will be introducing a 5,000 grant for those completing the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) and has also raised salaries for trainees and newly qualified (NQ) lawyers.

First year trainee solicitors will now earn 32,000 (up from 31,000), second years will get 34,000 (up from 33,000) and NQs will receive 50,000 (up from 48,000).

Graduate recruitment manager Andrea Williams said the firm had fully reviewed its recruitment strategy and had introduced the new measures to better reflect its annual intake.

There is greater competition out there, she said. We looked back and saw that 80 per cent of our trainee intake have completed the GDL and could benefit from a grant.

The firm believes that since many people studying the GDL have already had another career, encouraging them to join the firm will foster greater diversity.

Alongside raising salaries the firm is also sending partners to meet with graduates and revamping its recruitment brochure.

From September Lewis Silkin will also be giving trainees an increased holiday allowance, up from 22 days for first and second year trainees to 25 days, and an increase from 25 day to 27 days for NQs.

The new intake will also be the first to complete a full six-seat rotation.
Changing to a six seat system will give trainees the opportunity to experience five practice areas before they make their decisions for qualification and more seats would be viewed as valuable to their decision-making process, she explained.