US firm Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy has set a new benchmark in the current associate salaries pay war in Germany, offering newly-qualified lawyers €100,000 (£68,000) plus a substantial bonus.

The move places the firm at the top of the pile for associate salaries, narrowly ahead of New York rival Shearman & Sterling, which became the first firm to hit the €100,000 mark for newly-qualified associates two weeks ago.