Harry Elias Partnership LLP, colloquially known as Harry Elias, is a mid-size multidisciplinary law firm in Singapore. Harry Elias boasts a notable reputation for its Construction, Projects and Energy and Employment practices (Tier 2-3). This article will explore the salary bands of a lawyer as they progress their career at Harry Elias.
Salary Bands
In our mission to contribute to industry transparency, we provide an overview of the salary structure at Harry Elias. We note that these numbers are sourced from online public forums and cross-checked across anonymous sources, and thus, may at times be inaccurate and will require constant revision.
- Traineeship: As of July 2023, trainees earn $1,500 per month. The information is yet to be publicly available on the trainee rates going forward in 2024 as traineeship periods extend to 1 year in length. It is worth noting that Harry Elias is said to give trainees a lump sum honorarium of $3,000 once they pass the Part B Examinations. This is in lieu of paying a monthly honorarium during the course of the Part B Examinations (like some other local law firms).
- Legal Executive: In the period after the trainee has completed his Training Contract but has not yet been called to the Bar, they are said to receive a salary of $3,000 per month. Upon finishing the traineeship and being called to the Singapore Bar, lawyers move directly to the NQ (Newly Qualified) position.
- NQ (Newly Qualified): Upon passing the Bar, it is said that lawyers receive a monthly salary of $7,000. This salary is not frontloaded, and so lawyers are paid a sizeable bonus each year.
- 1PQE: In the subsequent year, the salary is said to remain at $7,000 per month.
- Every year following: Salary progression details following the first year are said to be anywhere between $0 to $500.
Front-Loaded Bonus
At this time, it is said that the salary packages for Harry Elias do not contain a frontloaded bonus component.
Front-loaded bonuses are where a portion of the final year bonus is factored into the monthly remuneration.
Consequently, if, for instance, your final year bonus amounts to $30,000, you may only receive $6,000 during the bonus period, as it is deemed that you have already received the remaining bonus through your monthly salaries.
This arrangement ensures that if you choose to leave the law firm before the bonus period, you will not be deprived of a lump sum. However, it also means that your actual salary is only 60-80% of the specified total compensation. Thus, when considering the hours worked and the significant opportunity cost incurred by lawyers, it can be challenging to ascertain whether this salary is truly competitive compared to other industries.
Conclusion
To summarize, Harry Elias' diverse legal practice and reputation in Singapore is noteworthy. This article delved into their salary structure, highlighting trainee rates, Legal Executives, Newly Qualified lawyers, and beyond.
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