Even if no one talks about it, money is a significant part of choosing a career path. Lawyers Weekly takes a look at the latest salary trends, figures and advice from around the country

Over the past few years, significant salary increases have been few and far between for most lawyers – largely thanks to a lingering GFC hangover. But for a variety of reasons, 2011 seems to have been a year where the pay scales went up for most.

Undoubtedly, Perth and Brisbane are experiencing the most significant shift when it comes to what firms are willing to pay their lawyers, and the salary gap between those cities and Sydney and Melbourne appears to be closing – at all levels.

So, whether you’re interested in salaries based on level of experience, cities, tiers or in-house, Lawyers Weekly has put together a snapshot of salary trends based on information from the leading salary surveys from around Australia.

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Firm hierarchy shifts

As more and more global firms enter Australia, the country’s law firm hierarchy has shifted and the gap between top-tier and mid-tier salaries is closing.

Lawyer levels

Top partners in major Australian firms are being lured to global firms by the “promise of access to international deals and referrals, offshore secondments … a fresh, strong brand, and a full purse”, according to the Mahlab 2011 Salary Survey.

The city showdown

After a period of stagnancy and rigidity following the GFC, the Australian legal profession is now starting to experience a shortage of lawyers. So where exactly is the talent going to get the best salaries? Which cities are hot and which cities are not?Lawyers Weekly finds out.

The ever-expanding and lucrative house

The ever-expanding and lucrative house is the fastest growing area of the legal profession, and they are making their voices heard