Please hover over each line in the chart to see individual figures according to each recruiter (click here to view larger version of chart in new window)
The range of salaries at India’s law firms is wider than ever, with even a 10-year PQE (post qualification experience) lawyer on remuneration (including bonuses) potentially ranging all the way from Rs 25 lakh per annum to Rs 200 lakh, according to salary data from four legal recruitment consultants compiled by Legally India.
According to data from recruiters Aquis Search, Legal League Consulting, Michael Page and Vahura, even for entry level lawyers who just graduated from college there is a wide potential range from between Rs 5 lakh per year (Legal League figures) to Rs 18.2 lakh (Aquis figures).
(See more on our previous surveys of starting salaries here).
Each recruiter has reflected ranges of salaries for ranges of several years of seniority, which means that the numbers for each point of seniority are a little fuzzy.
Also, in light of the wide ranges, especially between different recruiters’ assessments of the market, no figure in isolation should be taken as gospel.
There is also the fact that recruiters’ maximum recorded salaries are likely to be higher than average, because job moves with the largest salary hikes could be down to only a few top performers, who are relative statistical outliers.
However, when combined as in the chart above, this gives an amalgamation of indicative, average ranges.
Our previous in-house salary surveys in 2011, in 2011 and 2012 had revealed a similarly large divergence of figures between firms, often even within the same firms.
(see full tabulation of our 2012 data at the bottom of this article, or click here for the full story and graphic from 2012).
Versus 2012: Top end appears to have sky-rocketed (or is it the recruiter effect?)
We have also compared Legally India’s 2012 survey of tier 1 and 2 firms, and the 2016 recruiters’ data, which suggests that at the more senior end of the market, remuneration has more than doubled.
However, it is difficult to infer precise pay increases across the board from this, due to the time elapsed, the different methodologies used, and recruiters usually being involved in placing candidates with pay-hikes.
That said, according to the data, it appears that maximum salary ranges have increased in the last four years across the board from between around 20% to 40%, particularly at the more senior levels:
| PQE | 2012 (maximum) | 2016 (approximate maximums) |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 15 | 18.2 |
| 1 | 16 | 22 |
| 2 | 18 | 26 |
| 3 | 20 | 34 |
| 5 | 23 | 40 |
| 6 | 38 | 65 |
| 7 | 55 | 80 |
Mumbai-Delhi divide
Legal League and Michael Page have also broken their figures down by city.
On average, according to Legal League’s figures, Mumbai law firms pay around 10% more than firms in Delhi, while according to Michael Page, the difference can be around 20%.
Legal League had also divided its figures between what it calls tier 1 and tier 2 law firms, which suggest that tier 1 firms pay between 30% and 50% more than tier 2 firms.
Full tabulation of all recruiters original figures below, in alphabetical order.
Aquis Search 2016 figures
| PQE | Designation | Law firms Delhi / Mumbai (Rs lakh) |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Entry Level Associate | 11.2 - 18.2 |
| 1-2 | Associate | 14.4 - 22 |
| 2-3 | Associate | 17.4 - 26.4 |
| 3-4 | Associate | 19.8 - 34 |
| 4-6 | Senior Associate | 28.6 - 52 |
| 6-8 | PA / MA | 44.2 - 80 |
| 8-12 | Salaried/Retained/ Associate Partner | 70 - 200 |
Legal League Consulting 2016 figures
| PQE | Designation | Tier 1 law firms Delhi (Rs lakh) | Tier 1 Mumbai | Tier 2 law firms Delhi | Tier 2 law firms Mumbai |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-5 | Associate | 8-24 | 9-25 | 5-15 | 7-16 |
| 5-8 | Senior Associate | 18-55 | 22-60 | 14-25 | 16-28 |
| 8-12 | PA/Counsel/MA/ Partner | 55-70 | 55-75 | 25-40 | 28-45 |
| 10+ | Partner | 65-100+ | 70-120+ | 40-65+ | 45-90+ |
Michael Page 2016 figures
| Law firm Delhi (Rs lakh) | Law firm Mumbai (Rs lakh) | |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 | 12-20 | 12-25 |
| 5-10 | 20-60 | 25-75 |
| 10-15 | 60-100 | 75-120 |
| 15+ | 100++ | 120++ |
Vahura 2016 figures
| PQE | Law firms (Rs lakh) |
|---|---|
| 1-3 | 9.5 - 25.4 |
| 3-5 | 19.8 - 43 |
| 5-8 | 35 - 72 |
| 8-10 | 62 - 110 |
| 10-15 | 90 - 175 |
| 15+ | 120 - 250 |
Legally India 2012 salary survey figures, for reference
Via survey of 400 lawyers in early 2012.
| PQE | Tier 1 Remuneration (incl bonus, Rs lakh) | Tier 2 remuneration (incl bonus, Rs lakh) |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 12-15 | 9-11 |
| 1 | 13-16 | 10-13 |
| 2 | 15-18 | 11.5-15 |
| 3 | 17-20 | 13.5-17 |
| 4 | 18-23 | 15-20 |
| 5 | 20.5-30 | 17-25 |
| 6 | 22-38 | 19-30 |
| 7 | 24-55 | 22-40 |
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Comments
1. Many of these figures are merely on a CTC basis (an Indian jugaad that doesn't exist anywhere).
2. The huge living costs in Bombay make the salaries seen more modest
3. Some firms are paying less than a lakh a month. As a comparison, after the 7th pay commission even junior assistant professors at NLUs will get a lakh a month, while Jindal Law School pays much more.
This just shows why many firms are resisting liberalisation.
This graph is a good initiative but needs some improvement, may be next year when you do it you bear in mind that as presently set out it is rather uninformative, and represents a rather skewed statistic. The comp needs to indicate variable and fixed pay, for very often the entire variable portion only remains on paper for various reasons.
Do you think this could be provided or will such info be tough to get? In any case a rather good initiative which is much needed in our market.
I have seen 10s of these comments on LI, claiming that one or all three of these firms pay substantially more than tier 1 firms. However, the exact opposite is closer to the truth. Having worked at Platinum for over a year, let me tell you that the firm pays less than tier 1 firms at most levels of PQE and just about comparable sums at PQE 6-7 and upwards. From what I've gathered, the same is true for TTA and S&R. I can tell you for a fact that the fresher pay at all three is in the range of 10-14 lakhs, which is decidedly less than all tier 1 firms.
For heaven's sake, do some market research, instead and blindly claiming something that hasn't been true for half a decade now. Stop misguiding poor souls, especially freshers and associates with less than 4 years' PQE who join firms like Platinum (a tiny firm with little to no growth prospects) hoping that the super pay package will compensate for the long-term career suicide.
FIRST, some boutique top firms indeed pay 4-6 lakhs more than Tier 1 firms at PQE 3 to 6 level, they do it ONLY because they offer lesser growth prospects and lesser deal exposure i.e., they have nothing else but money to attract talent. Just look at the number of deals they do in league tables!
SECOND, the only senior associates getting more than 40-45 lakhs are the ones who have around 6 years of experience.
THIRD, the market has been really low for the past few years and lawyers at Tier 1 firms are very much underpaid and bonuses at top boutique firms have been relatively dismal year after year.
By way of an example, S&R pays more than SAM, CAM and the lot - at 6 PQE a S&R associate makes 40+ lakhs, with annual base pay at 30 lakhs.
I think everyone should note though that these maximum figures are nowhere near market standard, necessarily: they are very likely to be due to a very small number of outliers and super-top-performers, who get far more than others at their level (mostly with a very big bonus) because firms want to retain them.
And also, as mentioned in the article, recruiters' maximum figures will by definition be higher than average, because if a top performer moves, it'll usually be for a significant increment, which skews the figures considerably...
If you would have listed how much salary each firm is paying , there would have been 100 comments by now !!!!!
http://m.timesofindia.com/city/delhi/Over-Rs-8-crore-in-cash-seized-in-raids-on-a-law-firm-in-south-Delhi/articleshow/55915961.cms
5-8 PQE as 35-72 ..72 thats insane for a SA/PA level.
PS- Dear Mr. Kian, please conduct a similar survey for litigation law firms in India