Berwin Leighton Paisner's (BLP) highest-paid member received £1.6m in 2009-10 – a 31% increase on the previous year's top figure, according to the firm's latest limited liability partnership (LLP) filings.

During 2009-10 the UK top 20 firm saw its best-paid member take home £380,000 more than 2008-09′s top earner, according to the filings with Companies House.

The news comes after the firm saw 2009-10 turnover increase by 6.7% to £191.4m, up from £179.4m, while profits per equity partner stood at £455,000, up 9.9% from 2008-09 when PEP fell 33% to £414,000.

The firm's staff costs increased by 7% to £87.7m over the year as overall staff numbers increased by 44. This included a rise in legal staff headcount of 49 to 523, while support staff numbers fell by five to 574.

Other information contained within the filings shows that capital contributions by members doubled to £8.7m by the firm's year end of 31 May compared to £4m the previous year, while drawings and distributions by members sat at £36.9m, a 9% drop on 2008-09 when the figure stood at £40m.

The firm managed to reduce its net debt carried forward by 7.4% to £18.6m, while cash at bank and in hand increased to £4.3m, up from £3.6m the previous year.