Quinn Emanuel raises London associate pay to stay ‘top of market’

Quinn Emanuel has increased associate salaries in London by 5% across the board as elite firms continue to compete aggressively for litigation talent.

The new salary scale will take effect from 1 July 2026 and follows salary increases announced for the firm's US associates this week.

Under the new structure, newly qualified associates will receive salaries of £189,000, up from £180,000, while associates with seven years’ PQE will earn as much as £373,000 at the top end of the scale.

The increases apply across all associate classes and represent the first adjustment to the firm's London salary scale since June 2024.

Top of market

The increase means Quinn's London associates will be paid at levels that exceed the new market-leading US salary scale unveiled by Milbank this week at every comparable PQE level when converted at current exchange rates.

The gap is particularly pronounced for mid-level associates, with Quinn's London salaries running roughly 20-35% higher than Milbank's scale between two and four years' PQE.

Despite being a US firm, Quinn does not follow the Cravath scale for associate pay, instead opting to set its own scale.

Richard East, senior partner of Quinn Emanuel's London office, said the firm remained focused on attracting and retaining leading disputes lawyers.

"We maintain our own salary scale in this marketplace and pay people in pounds sterling but our aim is to retain the top litigation talent in London," he said.

"We have increased our salaries across the board to ensure that we remain at or above the top of the market."

The increase mirrors a broader trend among leading US firms in London, many of which continue to maintain close alignment with pay developments in the US market.