DLA Piper announces market-leading NQ and trainee salaries in the UK

DLA Piper today announces its 2025 newly qualified salaries for the UK. Effective 1 September 2025, the firm's London-based NQs will receive GBP130,000, marking an above-market 18% year-on-year increase. Meanwhile, those in the firm's offices outside of London will also see a market-leading increase of 9.3% (GBP82,000).

Alongside the increase for NQs, London-based trainee salaries will increase to GBP52,000 and GBP57,000 (for first- and second-year trainees, respectively), and trainees in the regions will receive GBP35,500 and GBP39,000 (for first- and second-year trainees, respectively).

As part of the firm's development strategy, newly qualified lawyers and trainees will gain access to the firm's global platform, offering exposure across multiple partners, teams, and jurisdictions. They are supported throughout their careers with leading training programmes and opportunities to collaborate and build multidisciplinary commercial skills.

Andrew Dyson, UK Country Managing Partner, DLA Piper commented: “We are making a significant investment into our people in the UK, recognising the importance of the UK legal market as a focus for growth within our international strategy. We are delighted to enhance the rewards to newly qualifying solicitors at a level that reflects the high performance of our firm in the UK.”

DLA Piper is headquartered in London and has offices across the UK, located in key business hubs: Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds, Liverpool and Edinburgh.