Small / boutique law firm and salary increase

[boffin9207]

Firstly, I hope that I have posted this on the right board.

I am after some advice on negotiating a salary increase. I’ve never successfully managed one before - only ever been fobbed off by senior management i.e. do X and you will get Y only Y never materialises and end up leaving.

Anyway, I started as a paralegal at a firm with a view to becoming a trainee and then solicitor. Start salary was £30k. It was a cut for me at the time but I was very unhappy in my last role and the long term benefits (ie qualifying) obviously outweighed the reduction in my income.

I’ve been offered a training contract at the firm and will get time to count which is great however at the end of the tax year I want to negotiate a salary increase for myself. I don’t want to undersell myself. I was taken on to replace someone who was a couple of years qualified and my projected billings are be the same as theirs (which I am hoping helps).

Can anyone please advise on how best to negotiate this? What can I realistically aim for? I have looked at a few bench marking surveys but they all vary and I’m not sure that they fully capture the type of work I do. The firm is on the smaller end and not in the City or West End but still deals in fairly high value matters. I would be very grateful if anyone has any similar experiences and can share some tips!

You need to be very clear about your value, both in terms of what you bring to the firm and what you could achieve elsewhere.

Start the conversation with what you bring to the firm e.g X amount of billable hours on target to grow by Y% over Z period etc.

Then state you’re aware that similar roles pay ABC and that you believe you’re currently undervalued.

Be confident and set out exactly what you’re asking for.

Have an idea in your mind what you’ll settle for and be prepared to walk away from the negotiations with a view to looking elsewhere in the event they don’t agree to your request.

Thanks for both of your responses!

Not much of my work is on a time spent basis. Usually an initial fee quote but will increase if significant time is spent on a matter. A lot of my friends at larger firms have utilisation targets but I don’t. I don’t even have any billing targets but each month I am aware of how much I have actually billed (and I produce my own bills too).

I have previously read about the rule of thirds when it comes to billings but I’m not sure that would work at this firm. However I am basing that on knowing roughly what my predeseccor was on along with their billings. The other solicitors are partners / consultants and (I think) on an eat what you kill / percentage agreement. I am just assuming this too but this is assumption is based on knowing that one is the sole equity partner.

Thanks for the rollonfriday suggestion. I hadn’t actually thought of that. I was looking at Chambers Student Guide but ROF might be more appropriate.

They do want to retain me on qualification and they offered the TC early. The whole point of taking me on is for me to be assistant to one of the partners and I have been told that after qualifying partnership will be on the cards. We have a really good working relationship but really I do want more money and I want to be adequately compensated. I don’t work horrendous hours nor am I expected to. But I am driven and I work hard and put extra hours in whenever necessary to do my job.

Could you just say that you enjoy working there but you've taken a paycut to join. Now you feel that you're duties and skills have gone up and ask how they see your remuneration package going forward.

It would help to know what the market rates are for the job. Have you got any trainee friends? Or have a look at what salary similar jobs are advertised for.