When Am Law 100 law firms match new associate salaries or move into new regions, their closest competitors in Big Law are closely monitoring and making their own game plan.

But the effects of new associate compensation, talent battles and big firms opening offices in a new region go far deeper into the legal industry. The push and pull of the pandemic economy has molded the war for talent, and now moves made at the very top of the market matriculate through the midsize market far quicker.