The impulse to issue bonus payments to deal with the cost of living has spread to firms at either end of the profession.

Magic circle firm Clifford Chance today said it would make a one-time payment of £1,500 this month to its trainee lawyers and business services staff based in the UK.

A spokesperson for the firm declined to make any further comment. The firm, which is due to reveal its financial results for 2021/22 later this month, recorded revenues of £1.8bn last year, with profit per equity partner of £1.85m.

It is the latest firm with a national profile to make a one-off cost of living payment to help staff on lower salaries with the rising cost of food, fuel and childcare. Irwin Mitchell is paying all staff below partner level an extra £900, while Bird & Bird has pledged £1,000 for everyone earning less than £50,000 a year.

But the extra cost of living payments are not limited to those firms in the top 50.

Crime specialist Howards Solicitors, based in Stockport, is handing out a bonus payment of £500 to all non-fee earning staff this month.

Managing parter Oliver Gardner said: ‘It is a lot harder for us to do too I suspect, especially in the current legal aid crisis.

‘We were determined to find the money because our staff are important to us and we wanted to show them this and offer them some support through this difficult economic time.’