Salary by Profession in the UK: Compare Jobs, Regions and Pay LevelsHow Much Do Solicitors Earn in the UK? — 2026 Salary Guide
Complete guide to solicitor salaries in the UK for 2026. Trainee pay, NQ salaries, City vs regional firm pay, practice area differences, partner earnings, and how to maximise your legal career income.
Law is one of the widest-paying professions in the UK — a newly qualified solicitor can earn anywhere from £35,000 to over £160,000 depending on firm type and location. Here’s the full breakdown.
For a broader comparison across occupations and pay bands, see our Salary by Profession hub.
Trainee Solicitor Salaries
By Firm Type
| Firm Type | Year 1 Trainee | Year 2 Trainee |
|---|
| Magic Circle | £48,000-£56,000 | £52,000-£60,000 |
| Silver Circle | £42,000-£50,000 | £46,000-£54,000 |
| US firm (London) | £55,000-£65,000 | £60,000-£70,000 |
| Top 50 City firm | £38,000-£48,000 | £42,000-£52,000 |
| National firm (City office) | £35,000-£42,000 | £38,000-£46,000 |
| National firm (regional) | £28,000-£35,000 | £30,000-£38,000 |
| Regional firm | £25,000-£32,000 | £27,000-£35,000 |
| High street firm | £24,000-£28,000 | £25,000-£30,000 |
| Legal aid firm | £23,000-£27,000 | £24,000-£29,000 |
| In-house (corporate) | £30,000-£42,000 | £33,000-£45,000 |
| Government Legal Dept | £33,000-£37,000 | £35,000-£39,000 |
SRA Recommended Minimums
| Location | Year 1 | Year 2 |
|---|
| London | £26,000 | £28,000 |
| Elsewhere | £25,000 | £27,000 |
These are recommendations, not legal requirements — many firms pay well above
Newly Qualified (NQ) Solicitor Salaries
The NQ pay jump is significant, especially at larger firms.
| Firm Type | NQ Salary |
|---|
| Magic Circle | £120,000-£160,000 |
| US firm (London) | £140,000-£180,000+ |
| Silver Circle | £85,000-£120,000 |
| Top 50 City firm | £65,000-£95,000 |
| National firm (City office) | £55,000-£75,000 |
| National firm (regional) | £40,000-£55,000 |
| Regional firm (large) | £38,000-£50,000 |
| Regional firm (mid-size) | £35,000-£45,000 |
| High street | £32,000-£42,000 |
| In-house (corporate) | £50,000-£75,000 |
| Government | £42,000-£52,000 |
| Legal aid | £30,000-£38,000 |
Salary Progression by PQE (Post-Qualification Experience)
City / Large Commercial Firm
| PQE | Salary Range |
|---|
| NQ | £80,000-£160,000 |
| 1-2 years | £90,000-£175,000 |
| 3-5 years | £110,000-£220,000 |
| 6-8 years (senior associate) | £130,000-£260,000 |
| Salaried partner | £200,000-£500,000 |
| Equity partner | £400,000-£2,000,000+ |
Regional / Mid-Size Firm
| PQE | Salary Range |
|---|
| NQ | £35,000-£50,000 |
| 1-2 years | £38,000-£55,000 |
| 3-5 years | £45,000-£70,000 |
| 6-8 years (senior associate) | £55,000-£85,000 |
| Salaried partner | £80,000-£150,000 |
| Equity partner | £100,000-£400,000 |
Salary by Practice Area
Some practice areas consistently pay more than others.
Highest-Paying Practice Areas
| Practice Area | NQ Salary (City) | 5 PQE (City) |
|---|
| Private equity / M&A | £100,000-£160,000 | £140,000-£250,000 |
| Banking & finance | £95,000-£155,000 | £130,000-£230,000 |
| Capital markets | £95,000-£155,000 | £130,000-£230,000 |
| Corporate (general) | £85,000-£150,000 | £120,000-£220,000 |
| Tax | £80,000-£130,000 | £110,000-£200,000 |
| Competition/antitrust | £85,000-£140,000 | £120,000-£210,000 |
Mid-Range Practice Areas
| Practice Area | NQ Salary (City) | 5 PQE (City) |
|---|
| Commercial litigation | £75,000-£130,000 | £100,000-£200,000 |
| Employment | £65,000-£110,000 | £90,000-£160,000 |
| Real estate (commercial) | £70,000-£120,000 | £95,000-£180,000 |
| Intellectual property | £65,000-£110,000 | £90,000-£160,000 |
| Insurance/reinsurance | £65,000-£100,000 | £85,000-£150,000 |
Lower-Paying Practice Areas
| Practice Area | NQ Salary | 5 PQE |
|---|
| Family law | £30,000-£45,000 | £40,000-£70,000 |
| Criminal law (defence) | £28,000-£40,000 | £35,000-£60,000 |
| Immigration | £28,000-£40,000 | £38,000-£60,000 |
| Legal aid (general) | £28,000-£38,000 | £35,000-£55,000 |
| Personal injury (claimant) | £30,000-£45,000 | £42,000-£65,000 |
| Conveyancing (residential) | £28,000-£40,000 | £38,000-£60,000 |
In-House Solicitor Salaries
Moving in-house (working for a company rather than a law firm) offers different pay and lifestyle trade-offs.
| Level | Salary Range |
|---|
| Junior legal counsel (1-3 PQE) | £55,000-£85,000 |
| Legal counsel (3-6 PQE) | £75,000-£120,000 |
| Senior legal counsel (6-10 PQE) | £100,000-£160,000 |
| Head of Legal | £120,000-£200,000 |
| General Counsel (FTSE 250) | £180,000-£350,000 |
| General Counsel (FTSE 100) | £300,000-£700,000+ |
In-House Benefits vs Law Firm
| Factor | In-House | Law Firm |
|---|
| Base salary | Moderate | Higher (City) |
| Bonus | 10-30% | 10-50%+ |
| Hours | 40-50/week | 50-80+/week (City) |
| Holiday | 25-30 days | 22-25 days |
| Work-life balance | Generally better | Demanding |
| Benefits package | Often generous (share schemes, pensions) | Variable |
Regional Salary Comparison
| Region | NQ | 5 PQE | Partner |
|---|
| London (City) | £80,000-£160,000 | £120,000-£250,000 | £200,000-£2,000,000+ |
| London (West End) | £55,000-£80,000 | £75,000-£130,000 | £120,000-£400,000 |
| Manchester | £35,000-£50,000 | £48,000-£75,000 | £80,000-£250,000 |
| Birmingham | £33,000-£48,000 | £45,000-£70,000 | £75,000-£200,000 |
| Leeds | £33,000-£48,000 | £45,000-£70,000 | £75,000-£200,000 |
| Bristol | £33,000-£45,000 | £42,000-£65,000 | £70,000-£180,000 |
| Edinburgh | £35,000-£50,000 | £48,000-£75,000 | £80,000-£250,000 |
| Cardiff | £30,000-£40,000 | £38,000-£55,000 | £60,000-£150,000 |
| Newcastle | £28,000-£38,000 | £36,000-£55,000 | £60,000-£150,000 |
Partner Earnings
Partnership is the major financial milestone in a solicitor’s career.
By Firm Type
| Firm Type | Salaried Partner | Equity Partner |
|---|
| Magic Circle | £400,000-£800,000 | £1,000,000-£2,500,000+ |
| US firm (London) | £500,000-£1,000,000 | £1,000,000-£4,000,000+ |
| Silver Circle | £250,000-£500,000 | £500,000-£1,500,000 |
| Top 50 City | £180,000-£350,000 | £300,000-£800,000 |
| National firm | £120,000-£250,000 | £200,000-£500,000 |
| Large regional | £100,000-£200,000 | £150,000-£400,000 |
| Mid-size regional | £80,000-£150,000 | £100,000-£300,000 |
| Small/high street | £60,000-£100,000 | £70,000-£200,000 |
Typical Career Timeline
| Stage | Years Post-Qualification | Typical Earnings (City) | Typical Earnings (Regional) |
|---|
| Trainee | Pre-qualification | £38,000-£56,000 | £25,000-£35,000 |
| NQ | 0 | £80,000-£160,000 | £35,000-£50,000 |
| Associate | 1-4 PQE | £95,000-£200,000 | £40,000-£65,000 |
| Senior Associate | 4-8 PQE | £130,000-£260,000 | £55,000-£85,000 |
| Salaried Partner | 8-12 PQE | £200,000-£500,000 | £80,000-£150,000 |
| Equity Partner | 10-15+ PQE | £400,000-£2,000,000+ | £100,000-£400,000 |
Routes to Qualification
| Route | Duration | Cost |
|---|
| SQE Route (from 2021) | SQE1 + SQE2 + 2 years QWE | £5,000-£15,000 (often firm-funded) |
| LPC Route (transitional) | LPC + 2-year training contract | £12,000-£18,000 (often firm-funded) |
| Degree required? | Law degree or GDL/conversion | Graduate Diploma ~£10,000-£12,000 |
| CILEX route | Paralegal → CILEX Fellow → Solicitor | Part-time, lower cost |
Bonuses and Additional Pay
| Firm Type | Typical Bonus (% of salary) |
|---|
| US firm (London) | 30-50%+ |
| Magic Circle | 15-30% |
| Silver Circle | 10-25% |
| City firm | 5-15% |
| Regional firm | 0-10% |
| In-house | 10-30% |
Summary
| Level | Typical Salary Range |
|---|
| Trainee solicitor | £25,000-£56,000 |
| NQ (regional) | £35,000-£50,000 |
| NQ (City) | £80,000-£160,000+ |
| 5 PQE (regional) | £45,000-£75,000 |
| 5 PQE (City) | £120,000-£250,000 |
| Partner (regional) | £80,000-£400,000 |
| Partner (City) | £200,000-£2,000,000+ |