Stephenson Harwood is set to raise its newly qualified lawyer pay by about 3% to hit £75,000, in a sign the pay war is also affecting the industry's mid-market.

The firm confirmed the new salary figure – which does not include performance bonuses – in a move that follows mid-market rival Pinsent Masons, which announced it was raising its NQ pay by 4% last month.

It is the latest NQ pay rise announcement in the current NQ pay wars, started by Freshfields in May. Since then, all Magic Circle firms followed, and mid-tier law firms have recently started making a move to compete in the pay war.