Travers Smith has become the latest City firm to overhaul its lockstep for senior associates in a bid to incentivise and reward lawyers for their hard work and interruptions to family life as they approach partnership.
Led by managing partner Andrew Lilley and pensions partner Paul Stannard, a 10-month review has concluded that Travers should continue to operate a strict lockstep for junior and mid-level associates, under which they receive an annual bonus at the end of the year. However, a new, more merit-based system will now be introduced for senior lawyers, including an additional one-off payment for those that have experienced disruption in their personal lives and increased flexibility from the lockstep structure for associates with six years’ post qualification experience (PQE).