Law firm salaries surge 20-40% for fresh grads in 2025 as competition intensifies; interns get pre-placement offers

When the placement season started to circulate between law faculties this year, graduates were offered compensation. La19-25 Increased merger and inheritances (M&A), to meet the need for technology, tax and artificial intelligence governance roles. According to law firms, the compensation submitted last year La16-18 Lakh. The placement season for legal schools usually lasts from May to August.

“Nishith Desai, the founder of an international law firm Nishith Desai Associates, said,” India and world agreements are increasing in technology, health and social sector roles, unification and acquisition, merger and social sector roles. ” He said. He continued: “In addition, new business models, cross -border laws, AI governance and tax consultancy are also very interested in.”

Approximately 100,000 legal students have graduated annually and 69,000 people clean the All-India Bar exam and allow them to practice law in any court. According to Vahura, a search and consultancy company for legal, tax, compliance and policy sectors, law firms meet approximately 60% of their recruitment needs through recruitment from other companies and the remaining 40% campus recruitment.

However, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas and Khaitan & Co. The best law firms, including, rented only 400-600 fresh graduates collectively for special applications. Kalan works in boutique and second -layer firms or small litigation applications that are missing in the legal sector in organized legal sector.

Nishith Desai Associates hired 15 students since 2025 and presented the highest compensation. La25 Lakh. Settlements National Law Faculty Bengaluru, National Law Faculty Delhi, Nalsar Hyderabad and Western Bengal University of National Judicial Sciences took place. Five students hired for the Law Office in 2024 La17.4 Lakh.

Pre-placement offers

Khaitan & CO offered La23 Lakh for the 2025 party. The company is thinking of a ‘upward revision’ for 2026. Khaitan offered a year ago La19 as compensation.

“Case and Corporate Commercial (M&A) continues to be the main practices that attract talent.” He said. “However, we have observed the tendency to choose niche areas such as capital markets, tax, real estate, intellectual property, TMT (technology, media and telecom), banking, finance and bankruptcy.”

Law faculties, in this recruitment season, companies, the best law firms and a mix of boutique companies drew a mixture. Now, pre -placement offers (PPOs) are also popular. PPOs are job offers expanded to trainees by a company before the official campus placement process begins. PPOs in law faculties are presented in the fourth year of the course.

Sinhji, “Now, about 80% of our fresh intake, the prominent shift, legal competence and cultural adaptation.”

Khaitan said that he was “consciously” to hire the majority of new talents along the PPO route. Nishith Desai Assocates PPOS worth La25 Lakh on more than 40 islands who will graduate in 2026.

Currently, packages are presented to students at the University of Gujarat (GNLU). La18 Lakh La25 Lakh.

“Many companies give more priority to students with strong academic records, previous internships and interest rates in certain application areas. This year, salary hike reflects the increasing competition between recruitment officers for the best skills.” He said.

Shashikala Gurpur from Symbiosis Law Faculty in Pune, La19 Lakh compensation was submitted during national placement last year, this year offer La20 Lakh.

Gurpur, “We have PPOs from the fourth year. Figures are more than campus -based recruitment.”

Invoice sharing

JSA Advocates & Lawyers, a company law firm, said that fresh recruitment increased by 70% annually.

“Our invoice sharing policy is reversing to make payments by making our general package competitive, Sum JSA Chief Talent Officer Suman Rudra said. “Internship tasks lead to higher retention rates, helping to evaluate both competence and cultural harmony.”

Invoice sharing refers to how the company’s income from customer fees is distributed between partners or lawyers. Rudra currently pointed out that most of its fresh demand is in the fields of capital markets, banking and finance, regulatory and corporate litigation.

Saraf and Partners’ partner Sahil Arara, “Entry level, compensation has increased significantly throughout the legal sector for years, primarily the best ability in a competitive landscape,” he said.

Authorized, recruitment models, there is a significant change and the expanded internship after the PPOs more importance, he said.

“This approach gives both companies and candidates the opportunity to evaluate suitability over time, which is often difficult during campus interviews.” “Even with lower wear, it continues to be necessary and now it has become strategic. We bring brilliant skills to feed our growth, to adapt to new technologies and to serve developing customer needs.”