Another firm has announced it will make a one-off payment to its lower earners to help with the cost of living. Bird & Bird in London will pay a one-off £1,000 bonus this month to all staff on an annual salary of less than £50,000.

The move is set to benefit more than 300 employees, including business support staff, trainees and those in more junior business services.

Payments are in addition to the firm’s latest salary adjustment for inflation and usual bonus payments.

Bird & Bird is the second law firm to have offered an extra top-up to staff wages to help deal with the rising cost of food and fuel. In April, national firm Irwin Mitchell gave £900 to all staff below partner level, outside any normal pay review or bonus calculations.

The most recently published results for Bird & Bird LLP, covering the 2020/21 year ended 30 April 2021, show the firm rising turnover and profits, as well as a big jump in the profits available for division among members.

Turnover increased 5.6% to £401.2m, while profit before taxation increased 22.7% to £81.1m. Members shared £610,000 in profits compared with £555,000 the year before. 

In February, the firm increased NQ pay from £71,000 to £88,000, while first year trainees earn £45,000 and second year trainees receive £50,000.

 

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