Legal Cheek’s annual survey of working hours at the top law firms in the Square Mile reveals that juniors at Kirkland & Ellis, which topped the table, work on average for more than 14 hours a day.

The starting salary for NQs at the firm is £170,000.

All of the law firms in the league’s top 10 are American. Boston firm Ropes & Gray takes second place, with its lawyers reporting working days of around 13 hours.

Others exact 12-hour days from their junior solicitors, while the figure is similar for Magic Circle firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer. Lawyers at Clifford Chance and Linklaters fare similarly while juniors at Allen & Overy only have to work for 11 hours a day.

Slaughter and May has average working days for junior lawyers of 10.5 hours.

Clifford Chance and Freshfields pay NQs salaries of £125,000.

The survey comes as City law firms say they are aiming for a work-life balance for their junior lawyers.