Another salvo has been fired in the half-hearted salary war between the UK's largest firms, as Clifford Chance has announced that it will increase salaries for all its fee earners by an average of around 4%.

The pay for first year trainees will go up by £2k from £40,000 to £42,000, representing a 5% rise. NQs will take home £70,000, up on last year's £67,500 and matching the benchmark recently set by both Slaughter and May and Hogan Lovells.

1PQE solicitors will be paid £75,500 (up from £72,500), 2PQEs will now be on £88,000 (up from £84,000) and 3PQEs on £98,500 (up from £93,500). The firm points out that bonuses are paid on top of this, and so a thoroughly beasted 3PQE associate can pull in total pay of £128,050.

The news means that A&O is now trailing the pack. Last year the firm's associates criticised it for announcing pay rises six months behind its competitors, and rated it the worst Magic Circle firm for pay. It's clearly not going to make the same mistake again - RoF understands that salary reviews are already being discussed and will probably be announced later in the summer and backdated to May.

"And one day, prime minister, all the associates here will have really, really big watches."

The table of salaries for Magic Circle associates looks like this:

£k	NQ	1PQE	2PQE	3PQE	Total post-qualification earning over four years*
A&O	66.5	72.5	82.5	93.5	315
Clifford Chance	70	75.5	88	98.5	332
Freshfields	67.5	77.5	87.5	100	333
Linklaters	68.5	74	85.6	95.5	324
Slaughters	70	75.5	87	96.5	329

David Bickerton, CC's London Managing Partner, said that the rises were in recognition of the depth of talent in the firm's associate base, and were made possible because of the "very strong performance" CC had enjoyed over the last year.

*With the usual caveat that this doesn't include bonuses or take account of salary variations within each band. However, it does provide some indication as to what each firm is prepared to pay.