Trio of major firms look to usher in merit-driven pay

Camerons, Eversheds and Simmons size up move to merit-based pay

CMS Cameron McKenna, Eversheds and Simmons & Simmons have launched reviews expected to usher in merit-driven pay for assistants.

The trio are mid-way through consultations that could see new pay structures in place by the next financial year - joining the growing rank of firms moving away from assistant lockstep.

Camerons' global review will see the firm move salaries and bonuses onto a merit-based system as part of its 'recognising high performance' campaign, which launched in June.

The firm has already outlined the criteria associates need to achieve in order to make its junior, mid and senior associate ranks, with the next step involving a new pay and bonus structure due in the second half of this financial year.

Nigel Moore, HR partner at Camerons, said: "Someone being assessed by how competent they are rather than on the basis of years on the clock strikes a chord with the kind of person who wants to work here. From the client's point of view it also ensures they get the best man or woman for the job."

Simmons and Eversheds are carrying out similar reviews, with the latter expecting to have a performance-related salary and bonus structure in place by the beginning of next calendar year.

The news comes after Legal Week reported last week that Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer is introducing 'milestones' as a first step away from grading associates based on post-qualification experience (PQE).

Within the top 10 City firms, Ashurst and Norton Rose have already taken steps towards a more merit-based banding system, with Allen & Overy (A&O) and Lovells using performance-based elements for senior associates. Both A&O and Lovells said they were committed to PQE at the junior end, joining firms including Linklaters, Clifford Chance and Slaughter and May, which base salaries on experience.

Deirdre Walker, London managing partner at Norton Rose, commented: "It is archaic not to move to a competency-based system. The only other profession operating on a years in service model is the medical profession."

However, Scott Gibson, director at recruitment agency Hughes-Castell, warned: "Removing the lockstep is, in theory, a good idea but only if it is properly managed by the law firms."

Firms have been talking about moving away from PQE for a very long time and certainly up until about four years qualified the lockstep is still demonstrably there."

CMS Cameron McKenna on the Legal Week Wiki

Eversheds on the Legal Week Wiki

Simmons & Simmons on the Legal Week Wiki