Linklaters has become the first major UK firm to raise its salary bands for newly-qualified lawyers this year, Legal Week can reveal, with the City giant electing to raise its rates by 2% across the board.

The firm will pay its newly-qualified lawyers £52,000 for the next financial year, up from the current rate of £51,000. At the same time, all of the firm’s London pay bands for assistants will be raised by 2%.