Like a lot of law firms, Nixon Peabody took the conservative approach to recruitment this year by deferring new starters. In February the firm decided that associates starting in the autumn would have to wait until January 2010 – although they did get a $10,000 (£6,100) lump of cash for company. The deferral playbook has been exercised again however and now a large proportion of the firm’s newbies scheduled to start at the firm in January will not begin working at the firm until at least 8 February and many beyond that.

Meanwhile another US firm, Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr, has frozen most associate salaries for 2010 at 2009 levels as they introduce a new system of remuneration. The firm has decided to move away from the lockstep model in favour of a merit based system. Non-partners will be divided into several tiers, with each of those tiers linked to a set base salary, merit-based bonuses will make up the rest. Whilst the switchover is taking place there will be an effective freeze on associate salaries in order that the new tiers can become established. Similar proposals are being considered by UK firms but their timing has raised suspicion about firms’ motives.