Firm Spy Remuneration Report – Allens Arthur Robinson Lawyer Salaries

Following our very popular reports into the remuneration of lawyers at:

STOP ALLENS ARTHUR HIGHWAY ROBBERY!

• Mallesons;
• Freehills; and
• Minter Ellison

we today move onto the salaries paid to lawyers at Allens Arthur Robinson. Allens reported the fifth highest revenue of any Australian law firm in 2008/2009 with $415,000,000.00. Top partners apparently earned an incredible $1,400,000.00 over the same period. Chief executive partner Michael Rose nevertheless recently had the cheek to say:

It is our sense that activity across the market as a whole is down. We would expect that things will stay relatively flat or decline further over the next 12 months.

This is how Mick and the team at Allens Arthur Highway Robbery Robinson reportedly remunerate their staff:

Firm Spy cannot confirm these statistics. They come from anonymous sources.

Perth

Paralegal

Not admitted. Daily billable target – 3 hours. Gross package 2008/2009 – $42,000. Gross package 2009/2010 – $44,850. Perks – free gym; free fruit.

0-1 Years PQE

Admitted between July 2008 and June 2009. Daily billable target – 3.5 hours. Gross package 2008/2009 – not entered. Gross package 2009/2010 – $65,000. Perks – free gym; free fruit; purchase additional leave; subsidised further education.

1-2 Years PQE

Admitted between July 2007 and June 2008. Daily billable target – 5 hours. Gross package 2008/2009 – $68,000. Gross package 2009/2010 $68,000. Perks – free gym; free fruit; purchase additional leave; subsidised further education. Comments:

Allens RPs making less than $2k more than the grads!

2-3 Years PQE

Admitted between July 2006 and June 2007. Daily billable target – 6.5 hours. Gross package 2008/2009 – $76,000. Gross package 2009/2010 $76,000. Perks – free gym; free fruit; purchase additional leave; subsidised further education. Comments:

Allens seems to be overflowing with eccentric, maladjusted partners. My friends at other top tiers seem to have far fewer than us. In fact, the greater the personality disorder, the greater the chance of promotion.

Melbourne

Graduate

Admitted after July 2009. Daily billable target – 4.5 hours. Gross package 2008/2009 – $63,000. Gross package 2009/2010 $63,000. Perks – free gym; free fruit; purchase additional leave; subsidised further education. Comments:

Free gym isn’t much of a “perk” – it is a disgusting, crowded cess pit.

2-3 Years PQE

Admitted between July 2006 and June 2007. Daily billable target – 7 hours. Gross package 2008/2009 – $69,000. Gross package 2009/2010 $69,000. Perks – free gym; free fruit; purchase additional leave; subsidised further education. Comments

Salary freeze and talking crap about “staying close to clients in tough times”, but still increasing my charge-out rate to them to $350 an hour. Also a bonus system that is only aimed at increasing partner profits to a level that is more competitive with Mallesons and Clayton Utz partners.

6-7 Years PQE

Admitted between July 2002 and June 2003. Daily billable target – 7.5 hours. Gross package 2008/2009 – $202,000. Gross package 2009/2010 – $202,000. Perks – free gym; free fruit; purchase additional leave; subsidised further education; blackberry.

Sydney

0-1 Years PQE

Admitted between July 2008 and June 2009. Daily billable target – 6 hours. Gross package 2008/2009 – $70,000. Gross package 2009/2010 $70,000. Perks – free gym; free fruit; purchase additional leave; subsidised further education.

3-4 Years PQE

Admitted between July2005  and June 2006. Daily billable target – 6.5 hours. Gross package 2008/2009 – $93,000. Gross package 2009/2010 $93,000. Perks – free gym; free fruit; purchase additional leave; subsidised further education; blackberry. Comments:

Ambivalent. Salary levels are awful. My charge our rate has increased $90 per hour but my salary has not. I am now a 3-4 year lawyer on a 2-3 year salary and I am busy! An AAR lawyer in 2008 was effectively paid more than those in 2009.

5-6 Years PQE

Admitted between July 2003 and June 2004. Daily billable target – 8.5 hours. Gross package 2008/2009 – $145,000. Gross package 2009/2010 – n/a. Perks – free gym; free fruit; purchase additional leave; subsidised further education; mobil phone.

Brisbane

0-1 Years PQE

Admitted between July 2008 and June 2009. Daily billable target – 6 hours. Gross package 2008/2009 – $63,000. Gross package 2009/2010 $63,000. Perks – free gym; free fruit; purchase additional leave; subsidised further education. Comments:

Sad – graduates are paid almost exactly the same as first year lawyers.

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