Lovells is set to change the way it pays bonuses to its non-equity partners to bring them in line with merger partner Hogan & Hartson.

The new system will see Lovells' salaried partners receive a fixed sum paid out of a central bonus pool directly related to the overall profits of the firm. The fixed sum is yet to be decided.

The regime will replace the current model in which salaried partners are paid a bonus equivalent to three equity points on top of their fixed salary. In the 2008-09 financial year, the three points were worth £36,798.

The new system, which will be paid for the first time from the end of this calendar year, will be phased in over a two-year period and ultimately lead to a bonus pool that amounts to 15% of the overall profits of the firm – the percentage currently used by Hogan & Hartson. This year the bonus pool will be at around 7% of the firm's profits while the following calendar year that will increase to 10%.

Lovells senior partner John Young commented: "As we have looked at and plan to change the way we pay our equity partners there will be some changes to the way in which we pay our non-equity partners."

Lovells had already confirmed plans to change its 10-year modified lockstep for equity partners, which runs from 30 to 60 equity points. This lockstep will swift towards Hogan's merit-driven pay model over four years from May 2010.

The transatlantic merger between Lovells and Hogan is set to go live on 1 May with the firms recently confirming their combined management structure and top-level committees. The union will create a top 10 global firm by revenue under the name Hogan Lovells.