The highest paid partner at BLM saw their pay rise by 42% last year, increasing from £256,000 to £363,000.

The increase came as staff numbers decreased by just over 50, from 1,730 to 1,679. This included a fall of 28 lawyers and fee earners. Wage and salary costs rose from £56.7m to £57.3m.

According to the firm's accounts, staff costs as a whole rose from £65m to £66m, while turnover fell slightly from £107.7m to £107.2m.

The firm's net debt has fallen by 14%, from £12.7m to £14.8m. The firm also invested £1.2m of capital during the year, of which technology investment, including a new case management system, accounted for 92%.

The average numbers of members during the year fell from 77 to 74.

BLM recently restructured its banking arrangement, after the expiry of a £12m facility signed with Barclays in 2014; according to the accounts, this loan will be repaid by 2020. HSBC has joined Barclays in taking a debenture over the firm's assets in return for a refinancing package agreed through a club banking arrangement.

Managing partner Vivienne Williams said: "Following the appointment of a business improvement director and the formation of a function dedicated to focusing on profit-enhancing initiatives, we expect to benefit from improved profitability in 2017/18 with material benefits being realised in 2018/19 and beyond."

The statement also draws attention to the potentially "volatile landscape" caused by the vote to leave the European Union, something the firm's members are "mindful" of.

The firm has seen a number of redundancies this year, including 21 jobs being cut in Southampton and the loss of 50 back-office roles in February. Last month, London head Jennette Newman and insurance partner Jonathan Edwards resigned to join Clyde & Co.