How the Legal Salary and Benefits Data was Collected:
Producing the annual Legal Salary and Benefits Guide is a huge undertaking. We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to the law firms and job seekers in or returning to New Zealand and Australia who took the time to complete our Salary and Benefits Survey. To create the Tyler Wren Salary and Benefits Guide we gathered information from:
- 103 General Practice firms
- 48 Mid Tier or Medium Size firms
- 19 Large National or International or Top Tier firms
- 40 Boutique (Litigation, TMT, Property, Corporate/Commercial, Employment) firms
- 25 Commercial Businesses
- 3000+ Solicitors
It can be daunting to put your work out there without knowing how it will be received. When our competitors say our guide is the “best & most accurate in the market”, we know we’re doing something right. Across the board, there has been an overwhelmingly positive response to Tyler Wren’s Legal Salary and Benefits Guide for 2022-2023.
The Legal Team contacted each person that chose to download the guide to secure their comments and feedback, thank you to all of you who took the time to talk to us and share your comments and feedback. Those whom we’ve spoken with overwhelmingly agree that the salary bands are accurate. The findings have been fascinating to our clients and candidates as well as our team.
Learnings from the Legal Team
There are a number of factors driving firms to think out of the box, including the brain drain occurring and the mass exodus of solicitors leaving New Zealand and Australia. Staff retention is becoming more innovative and creative among law firms.
Retention benefits offered by legal firms include:
- 3 – 6 Months off sabbatical to go travelling and holding their position open for 1 year.
- Clothing allowance.
- Remote working options from overseas after 3 months of leave to travel.
- Extended parental leave.
Solicitors rank the following benefits as the most important:
- Work from home, hybrid working options and flexibility around hours.
- Transparent and obtainable bonus schemes.
- Clear, set career progression plan.
Loyalty is appreciated by Legal Firms
In an article for Fast Company, Vivian Giang brings up a point: “Workers who stay with a company longer than two years are said to get paid 50% less”. For those Lawyers who stay at a firm for five or more years, there’s a good possibility that they’re satisfied, and stimulated, but feeling not well compensated. We love that Law Firms are recognising their loyal Lawyers by aligning their salaries and benefits with those Lawyers who earn more from bouncing around firms.
Law firms and the cost of living
Globally, the cost of food, petrol, utilities, and housing have reached an all-time high after the pandemic, and New Zealand is no exception. A number of law firms have increased salaries by 7-10% in response to escalating living costs in New Zealand.
Law Firms Supporting Families
Changes in parental leave are the biggest takeaway. Law firms recognise the challenges of raising a family in today’s modern world. Good employers want their employees to have as much support as possible. Support is provided by offering more paid partner leave, offering paid adoption leave and topping up to full pay for the first 26 weeks of primary carer leave. Additionally, some firms offer 12 weeks’ full pay for eligible employees taking parental leave as primary caregivers after the first 26 weeks.
If your firm has an awesome out-of-the-box benefit we would love to hear from you to share your experiences!
Download the Tyler Wren Legal Salary and Benefits Guide
Get your hands on the Tyler Wren Legal Salary and Benefits Guide.
If you know someone in your network who is open to opportunities, send them our way! We offer a $600 referral voucher for any recommendation that we place in a new role.