White & Case's London arm has followed the lead of Linklaters, Clifford Chance and Slaughter and May with a sharp hike in its student grants.

From September 2006, trainees at its UK arm will receive a £7,500 maintenance grant for both the Legal Practice Course (LPC) and the Graduate Diploma in Law conversion course.

The increase is a 36% rise on the current £5,500 maintenance grant and is in addition to the course fees.

Philip Stopford, UK co-head of projects/infrastructure and graduate recruitment partner, said: "For the last few years we've been ahead in what we pay for maintenance. There is no doubt costs have risen and it made sense for us to do this. I think other firms will adapt accordingly."

White & Case has one of the largest intakes of UK students for a US-based practice, with the firm's London arm currently taking on 30 trainees a year.

From September, the New York firm will also increase its salary for trainee solicitors by £3,000. Trainees now start on £36,000, with a £1,000 rise every seat.

The move comes after a group of major firms have this year raised their trainee grants, after Linklaters in September announced a 40% hike in its LPC grant.

However, White & Case's New York rival Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton this month set a new benchmark when it announced that it was to raise its grant for LPC students from £5,000 to £8,000.