Norton Rose Fulbright has hit back at claims it gave selective pay rises to junior lawyers, confirming to RollOnFriday that it raised pay for all its junior lawyers. Except maybe a couple of them.

Earlier this month RollOnFriday broke the news that NRF trainees and newly-qualified solicitors were being given pay rises, with NQs to receive salaries of £75,000. At the time aggrieved insiders claimed that the raises had caused "much discontent in the junior associate ranks" because the firm had not raised pay for existing NQs or more senior lawyers, including 1PQEs, on £76,000.

However Norton Rose Fulbright, while declining to disclose figures, told RollOnFriday that it has in fact raised all its junior lawyers' salaries. A spokeswoman said that the firm has pay bands in place for each PQE year above NQ level, and that the lower and upper limits of the bands for 1,2 and 3PQEs had all been increased. She also said that existing NQs, and not just new ones, received the rise to £75,000.

Setting the record straight, almost. Mostly.

Slightly oddly, the firm also told RollOnFriday that 2% of its 1PQEs did not receive raises. Which would appear to contradict its simultaneous assertion that they all did. At the time of going to press NRF had not produced an explanation reconciling its two positions. But hey - 98% is better than zero.