Onto the first installment: top-tier graduate salaries. As you’ll see, the results are patchy (for example, we didnt receive a single contribution from Minter Ellison’s graduate intake) and we cannot guarantee accuracy, but we still think it will give our graduate readers something to reflect on.
Let’s start with some comments from grads in response to the question “what makes you happy, sad or ambivalent about your firm”:
AAR Graduate:
Happy: generally surrounded by a lot of great people (i.e. interesting and fun as well as intelligent). Of course there are pricks in any workplace but Allens probably has much better personalities on average than most top-tier places, which is why I chose it. Quality of work is good. We are really well looked after in our grad year, e.g. zero pressure for billable targets (even though we have an official target of 4.5 hrs), some very nurturing staff partners and HR, and plenty of study leave for PLT. Everyone’s also really pumped for the move to our new digs at 101 in January.
Sad: compulsory leave over Xmas/NYE — causes more resentment in the firm than anything else I’ve come across. Very lax, informal and inconsistent ‘days in lieu’ policy — it’s basically up to the individual partner whether you get any time off after pulling consistent late hours. I’ve been looked after really well but one or two grads have been offered maybe one day off (if even that) after working three or four weekends in a row.
Ambivalent: crappy pay rise in line with CPI…
Mallesons Graduate:
Not getting preferences for rotations. If you don’t get your preferences then I feel like my time at the firm is a complete waste. No experience in the area that I want means I’ll have to start all over again somewhere else.
Blake Dawson Graduate:
Really like the people and quality of work, wish the firm were a bit better known outside the profession
Freehills Graduate:
Happy – great people, great work. Sad – broken promises
Clayton Utz Graduate (via email)
Happy that I got a job at a top-tier firm. Sad that I might be sacked at the end of my graduate year like the guys last year.
Now onto the salaries. As you’ll see, we don’t have data on all firms, so please email us (news@firmspy.com) if you know something that we don’t. All figured are inclusive of super. NB some of the results are informed by results from last year (available here).
Mallesons Stephen Jaques:
NSW
- 2010/11 Package = $73,000
- 2011/2012 Package = $75,000
VIC
- 2010/11 Package = $65,000
- 2011/2012 Package – $69,000
QLD
- 2010/11 Package = $64,000
- 2011/2012 Package = $66,000
WA
- 2010/11 Package = $67,000
- 2011/2012 Package = unknown
ACT
- 2010/11 Package = $55,000
- 2011/2012 Package = unknown
Freehills
NSW
- 2010/11 Package = $76,000
- 2011/2012 Package = $83,000
VIC
- 2010/11 Package = $65,000
- 2011/2012 Package = unknown
QLD
- 2010/11 Package = $68,000
- 2011/2012 Package = unknown
Allens Arthur Robinson
NSW
- 2010/11 Package = $73,000
- 2011/2012 Package = unknown
VIC
- 2010/11 Package = $63,000
- 2011/2012 Package = $66,000
Clayton Utz
NSW
- 2010/11 Package = $70,000
- 2011/2012 Package = $73,000
VIC
- 2010/11 Package = $62,000
- 2011/2012 Package = $66,000
Blake Dawson
NSW
- 2010/11 Package = $70,000
- 2011/2012 Package = $77,000
VIC
- 2010/11 Package = $65,000
- 2011/2012 Package = $67,000
QLD
- 2010/11 Package = $63,000
- 2011/2012 Package = $65,000
Send the Firm Spy your news and views!
Loading...
love the comment of the AAR grad – wait till you work there for 5 years or so mate…it wont matter what building you are in….as a person who has been there, done that I can guarantee your Grad year is the peak…
@ Anonymous,
Agreed. And the “Of course there are pricks in any workplace but Allens probably has much better personalities on average than most top-tier places, which is why I chose it” looks like the first step on the path to Stockholm Syndrome to me.
Of course, the graduate is eminently qualified to comment on the personalities of law firms vis-a-vis Allens. They must be after reading the HR smack on the glossy brochures
minters brisbane – 2011/2012 salary $63,500. Billable target 3.5 hours (first 6 months), 4 hours (second 6 months)
Why does ?’s comment have a net score of 0? The two people (or one person!) that voted negatively must be completely clueless. ? is absolutely correct. Personally, I’m struggling to think of anything less interesting than graduates, or would-be-graduates, opining about the relative merits of different law firms. But a comment such as “Allens probably has much better personalities on average than most top-tier places” really takes the cake; it’s just seething with ignorance and immaturity.
Some of these figures are simply wrong. I’m not sure if its HR input, a lack of accuracy about what a “graduate” salary is (are we talking starting salary, salary after a number of rotations, salary on being admitted etc), or simply trolling. But I would warn people to take these figures with a grain of salt.
a from Kanwal – care to set the record straight then? That might be a more useful contribution.
and the info on non-grad $..?
What about Minters??
Anonyous, the post was about ‘Top Tier’ law firms.
Forced to go and spend time with people outside of the firm over the holidays. Damn. Horrible first world problem.
@No Minters – i would have thought that being the largest firm by revenue would suggest Minters is probably top-tier
@S – Yes, but they won’t be at the end of this financial year.
yeah righto – let me guess, Trilby Misso are top tier?
Minters is indisputably top-tier.
@Skiman – Just for the record, ‘Stockholm Syndrome’ that’s a classic.
Perth Grad Salaries (inclusive stat super):
DLA Piper : 72’000 (Plus, Ipad/Iphone)
Freehills: 65’000
Blakes: 67;500
Dear FS – what are the sample sizes for the figures quoted?