If you have read Part 1 of this series, you have already done the hard part: reflecting honestly on your value and understanding what the market is currently paying for someone at your level. This piece is about turning that preparation into an actual conversation.
Quick answer: A strong salary or promotion negotiation starts with taking ownership of the process rather than assuming your firm will address it unprompted. From there, it comes down to building a clear, succinct pitch, timing the conversation well, and knowing how to respond calmly whatever the outcome.
Why You Need to Own This Conversation
It is easy to assume your employer will take care of pay increases and promotions without you needing to raise it. In practice, that approach hands your career over to someone else's memory and priorities.
Your boss cannot read your mind, and even if you have mentioned your ambitions before, they are unlikely to be front of mind for anyone but you. No one will advocate for your career the way you can.
If you are not clear on where you sit or where you are heading at the firm, it is entirely reasonable to ask, both about your career path and about salary. Staying quiet is far more likely to leave you falling behind the market, and behind your peers, than asking ever will.
Build Your Pitch
Go back to the answers you drafted in Part 1 and pull out what matters most: your key wins over the past year, and what you are actually asking for.
Keep the pitch itself succinct, roughly a one-page business case is a reasonable length. Be clear on exactly what you want. That might be a promotion, a salary increase, or something else entirely. Remuneration is not only about salary. Depending on what you value, that might include:
- Part-time versus full-time arrangements
- Working from home or other flexible arrangements
- Further education or professional development
- Childcare assistance
- Performance-based incentives
Once you know what you are asking for, use the market research from Part 1 to build your case. Keep some of the focus on the firm as well as yourself. Firms invest more readily in people who can clearly show how they intend to keep contributing to the business, not just what they want in return.
Review your pitch before the meeting. Let the preparation carry you into the room, and try to put the self-talk aside enough to advocate clearly for yourself.
Time the Conversation Well
When you raise it will depend on your firm and your own situation. Many firms run performance review cycles around May and June, or November and December, and those periods can be a natural opening.
That said, you do not have to wait for a formal review cycle. It is often worth raising the conversation shortly after a clear professional win, while the evidence is fresh.
If you are new to the firm, or new to this kind of conversation generally, it is worth asking a partner or senior colleague how these conversations typically play out at your firm, and what kind of pay review culture exists. If you need to schedule time with your boss specifically for this discussion, do that ahead of time rather than trying to fit it into an unrelated meeting.
A Simple Structure If You're Not Sure How to Start
One straightforward format, sometimes attributed to career negotiation guides on this topic, structures the conversation like this:
- Reason: "Over the past 12 months, I have..."
- Suggestion: "Based on the market research I've done, could my salary be reviewed to X?"
- Wait: Let the silence sit. Resist the urge to fill it.
- Listen: Hear your boss's response fully before reacting.
- Respond: Thank them, and follow up accordingly.
We are not able to verify the exact source of this particular format, so if you plan to attribute it to a specific book or author on your website, it is worth confirming that reference directly before publishing.
If They Say Yes
Well earned. Once the increase or promotion comes through, take a moment to set new goals for the year ahead, so momentum does not fade once the immediate outcome is settled.
If They Say No
A no is not a failure, and how you respond to it matters as much as the ask itself. Stay calm and gracious. Reacting negatively in the moment is far more likely to count against you later than the no itself.
A few ways to handle it well:
- Thank your boss for genuinely considering the review
- Ask directly what you would need to achieve, and by when, to get to where you want to be
- Remember a no now does not always mean no later. It may take time for a conversation to be properly considered
- Give it space. Regardless of the outcome, try not to take it personally. Your worth is not defined by a single number
- Reframe it as a business exchange. You provide a service in the form of your skills and time each week, and are compensated accordingly. Viewing it this way can help remove some of the emotional weight from the process
Learn From the Outcome, Whatever It Is
Once the conversation is behind you, it is worth reflecting properly:
- What did you learn from the negotiation itself?
- Did the assessment feel fair? If not, why?
- Is there a path to shift the outcome over time?
- Could more preparation or a different approach have changed the result?
- Is it time to seriously consider your options elsewhere?
- What are your professional goals for the year ahead?
Regardless of how it lands, going through this process properly builds a habit that will serve you in every future review, and reinforces something worth remembering year-round: taking ownership of your career is not a once-a-year exercise.
Frequently Asked Questions About Salary and Promotion Negotiations
When is the best time to ask for a pay rise?
Around your firm's formal review cycle if one exists, or shortly after a clear professional win, whichever comes first. You do not need to wait for an annual review if the timing and evidence support raising it sooner.
What if my firm doesn't have a clear salary review process?
Ask a partner or senior colleague how these conversations typically happen at your firm. If no clear process exists, it is reasonable to request time with your manager specifically to discuss your salary or progression.
How do I respond if I'm told no?
Stay calm and gracious, thank your manager for considering it, and ask what specifically would need to happen, and by when, for the answer to change. A no delivered well now can still lead to a yes later.
Should remuneration conversations only be about salary?
No. Flexibility, further education, childcare support and performance incentives can all be part of a broader remuneration conversation, depending on what you actually value most at this stage of your career.
Ready to Prepare for Your Next Review?
If you would like an outside perspective on how your role and remuneration compare to the current Brisbane or Queensland legal market before your next review, use the contact form to get in touch. We are always happy to help you think it through, whether or not a move is on your mind.
This is Part 2 of a two-part series. If you haven't already, read Part 1: Preparing for Your Salary Review, which covers how to understand your value before you walk into the room.
