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JSA hikes fresher base salary by 9% to cross Rs 10 lakh p.a.

More Rups for JSA freshers
More Rups for JSA freshers
Exclusive: J Sagar Associates (JSA) has increased its basic starting remuneration package to Rs 10.5 lakh per annum for its intake of graduates starting this year.

JSA Mumbai-based partner Dina Wadia said that the starting salary, excluding bonus, had not changed for two years and was due for an adjustment.

“Like all other firms basically, we look at it from time to time,” she said. “We don’t necessarily follow the herd, but just revise it in accordance with our own systems and beliefs.”

Last year new joiners at JSA would have earned a base remuneration of Rs 9.6 lakh, excluding bonus.

After one year at the firm, associates are also paid 8 per cent of any of their direct personal billings.

Legally India reported in 2010 that JSA had decreased its reliance on long-term internship programmes, in order to place a greater emphasis on recruiting law students directly from campus.

Amarchand Mangaldas, Khaitan, Luthra & Luthra and Trilegal all hiked their starting salaries in 2010 to cross the symbolic Rs 10 lakh per year barrier.

According to Legally India’s table of corporate law starting salaries, the latest raise puts JSA’s basic package on par with with Talwar Thakore & Associates, and just Rs 30,000 per year short of Khaitan & Co, S&R Associates and Trilegal, which pay Rs 10.8 lakh per year. AZB & Partners in Mumbai pays around Rs 11.4 lakh to new recruits.

Editor’s note: The results of the salary survey conducted earlier this year are almost ready for publication and we hope to announce these shortly.

2012 Indian legal recruiters' offered remuneration

Firm
?
?
Base retainer pay (
Indian Rupee symbol.png
Indian Rupee symbol.png
lakh)
?
?
Offered total package incl. max bonus (
Indian Rupee symbol.png
Indian Rupee symbol.png
lakh) / other
?
?
AZB & Partners (Mumbai) 11.4 "competitive bonus"
Khaitan & Co (Mumbai) 10.8 14.8
S&R Associates 10.8
Trilegal 10.8 12.8
J Sagar Associates (JSA) 10.5
Talwar Thakore & Associates 10.5 Bonus: 0-40% of base pay[1]
Amarchand Mangaldas 10.48 14 - 15
Luthra & Luthra 10.08 12.6 (+0.51 signing bonus)when is this paid? (+3 insurance benefits)
Finsec Law Advisers 10 Performance based bonus.
AZB & Partners (Delhi) 9.8 "competitive bonus"
ICICI Bank 9.05 (salary with retainer option) CTC* with other benefits convertible to full retainer after six months[2].
Platinum Partners (Delhi) 9 (unconfirmed officially)
Kochhar & Co 4.2-4.8
Wadia Ghandy & Co 8.4 10 with bonus at fresher level
Argus Partners 8 10 with bonus at fresher level.
Desai & Diwanji 6 - 8.4 2% on billings + 10% on billings (if the work has been generated by the fresher) + discretionary year end bonus
Nishith Desai Associates 7.2 (salary) +4.8 fixed amount is paid out after three years with firm[3]. First-year CTC* figure therefore 12.12 forms base for 2nd year increase.
SAIL 6.6 - 6.8
Phoenix Legal 6 - 7.2
IFMR 6 - 6.5
Bharucha & Partners 8
Majmudar & Co. 8.43 (Mumbai avg) 4.3-6 (Bangalore avg) Mumbai: 8.43 +26% variable bonus
Vedanta 7
Juris Corp 6-6.5
Pangea3 4 - 6 (5 - 7 for 2010-11) (CTC* incl. bonus at top 10 law schools)
Lakshmi Kumaran & Sridharan 4.8
Crawford Bayley & Co 4.8 Variable across teams (Unconfirmed claim of 10.2 CTC* incl. performance bonus for National Law Schools)
Kochhar & Co 4.2 - 4.8
OSC Service (Clifford Chance offshoring company 5.3
CPA Global 3-5
Supreme Court judicial clerkships 3 (stipend)[4]
Source: Legally India research
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