Lawyers Pay And The Conumdrum of Trans-Atlantic Law Firms

One of the difficulties for lawyers working for US/UK law firms is the different remuneration packages on offer, which is OK for the recipients, but for the partners and associates it can cause problems. Take UK-based Lovells. They repeatedly return to their partners to consult on their 'lockstep' arrangements. After deciding there was little interest for a bonus pool or super points system, they now propose off-lockstep deals to attract lawyers in the US.

The problem is they simply irritate and annoy the 140-plus London partnership, while trying to placate the US operation a little more than one-tenth the size. Pay's important, but this endless restructuring and re-consulting just creates uncertainty and - ultimately - disillusioned lawyers.

Watch this space. . .