For many years now, the elite corporate firms on both sides of the Atlantic have been pretty easy to identify, whether by the colour of their footwear or membership of the famous ‘magic circle’.

In addition to the kudos of being a member of an elite, the rewards have been staggering. Today New York’s top corporate firms can average profits of up to $3.5m per partner, while their UK counterparts can now rake in more than $1.5m a year.