Hogan Lovells has become the seventh firm to announce that it has increased its maintenance grant for future trainees on the Legal Practice Course (LPC) to £10,000.

The change, which is effective immediately, is a rise from the previous £7,000 and applies to students who started the course in February 2018 as well as future joiners.

The firm follow Allen & Overy, Clifford Chance, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Linklaters, Slaughter and May in raising its grant money, as well as Herbert Smith Freehills, which announced it would be the first non-magic circle firm to do so yesterday.

New Hogan Lovells training principal Crispin Rapinet said: “Ensuring all our people have access to high quality training, support and the opportunity to progress throughout their career is an absolute priority, at every level. With 29 per cent of our 2016/17 hires coming from social mobility backgrounds, we recognise that finances are an increasing consideration and often a barrier to pursuing a career in law. In offering an enhanced level of financial support we hope to address these concerns for future potential candidates and allow our current cohort to focus on achieving their very best in their studies.”