Almost a third of professionals in the financial services sector expect their bonuses this year to match – or even exceed – last year's bumper payouts, a survey of City of London workers has found. The poll has been published as a London-based law firm predicts a large increase in the number of bankers who will take their employers to court over reduced or cancelled payouts.

Recruitment company eFinancialCareers, which carried out the survey, found that two-thirds of City professionals still expect to receive a bonus payout for this year, and that half of those believe their bonuses will at least match last year's payout.