The fallout from Allen & Overy's (A&O's) associate appeasement action plan continues to rain down in great gobbets around the City.

While only time will tell how effective the plan proves at improving associate retention at New Change, it is already having an effect on morale elsewhere in the UK's legal elite.

The Diary hears how one plucky junior lawyer at Ashurst marched into the offices of human resources on the very day A&O announced its 15% pay rises to find out if associates at his firm were going to get one too. Clearly his interest was purely academic, as the lawyer in question was himself yet to reach the revered rank of associate – being a trainee on his very first seat.

While The Diary reckons chutzpah like that probably deserves a rise, it remains to be seen whether the powers that be at Broadwalk House take quite the same view.