Linklaters has become the latest UK firm to confirm that it is boosting starting salaries for US associates to $180,000 (£124,000) a year.

The decision ups pay for US associates in line with the scale adopted by Cravath Swaine & Moore on 6 June.

That move by Cravath has triggered a pay war for US qualified associates, with numerous firms matching the rate.

Magic circle firms Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Allen & Overy and Clifford Chance have also followed suit making Linklaters the last in the group with a US operation to increase its salaries.

It is not clear whether the pay increase will apply to US-qualified associates in Linklaters' offices outside the US.

A&O has confirmed that its pay rise will apply to all of its US-qualified associates worldwide, while Freshfields has confirmed that its US associates in London will receive the pay increase.

Clifford Chance has not confirmed whether the pay rise will apply outside the US.

The Cravath benchmark has been followed by a raft of US firms including Kirkland & Ellis, Milbank, Paul Weiss, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom and Cahill Gordon & Reindel.

The London associates at all of the above firms will receive a pay rise in line with the Cravath scale.

Pay scale

1st year – $180,000 2nd year – $190,000 3rd year – $210,000 4th year – $235,000 5th year – $260,000 6th year – $280,000 7th year – $300,000 8th year – $315,000