Texas firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld has surprised rivals by handing out record associate bonuses of up to $76,400 (£54,019).

The top rate, only available to Akin Gump’s New York lawyers, is 50% higher than the standard for the leading East Coast firms which have set a range between $20,000 (£13,936) and $50,000 (£34,843).