To be precise, the international firm figures I quoted are for associates who have circa 33-36 months of law firm practice experience after being called to the Singapore Bar.

Why 33 months? Because salaries are revised annually in April, whilst mass call is in July. You start taking those figures once you hit 33 months PQE (Singapore scale).

Hopefully this clears up any confusion.

As to whether it's easy to jump from a Big4 to an MC, it truly depends on your PQE at the time of application. From 1-3 PQE it's tough since you're still an untested variable with little to offer. From 4-6PQE, you're at your most mobile, since you've proven your resilience and had enough training to hit the ground running. Once you hit 7PQE, the MCs know you're applying only because you failed to get made up. Your market value irreversibly tanks, and you become very immobile.