DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary has embarked on a firm-wide review of its career model, with the international giant becoming the latest in a line of major practices to look at freshening up its traditional route to partnership.

The firm is mid-way through a planned reshuffle of both its performance management and its established career structure, which is understood to involve an assessment of the viability of adding a new role to bridge the gap between associate and partner, likely to be called director.

The review, which is headed up by DLA Piper global chief people officer Robert Halton and includes regional managing partners and practice group heads, is expected to be completed by the summer.

Halton told Legal Week: "The key is making sure it has got real meaning for the people involved, just as much as it does for the client. This is not rocket science it is all about reviewing people's expectations and giving honest and open feedback."

DLA Piper managing partner Nigel Knowles commented: "You could hardly describe [DLA Piper] as a sweatshop. We fully expect people to have an independent life and plenty of interests outside of [the work] of the firm."

The issue of career progression has become more important in recent years, as lawyers look to strike a work-life balance.

DLA Piper's national rival Addleshaw Goddard already operates a legal director role as an additional step on the career ladder for senior fee earners. In December, magic circle giant Allen & Overy revealed plans to overhaul its career structure in a bid to stem increasingly high associate turnover by adopting the new job titles of managing associate and counsel.

The review comes as DLA Piper's US arm follows the current market trend by hiking pay rates for first-year associates. Starting salaries at the firm's US offices will now jump to $135,000 (£77,000), an increase of $10,000 (£5,700).

The figure is significantly more than UK newly-qualified lawyers receive, with London lawyers thought to get the highest amount at £50,000.