Howrey hopes to bring an end to associate lockstep as we know it. Will this spark a revolution for US law firms? Drew Combs reports
Robert Ruyak does not look like a revolutionary. With his full head of grey hair and conservative business attire, Howrey’s 59-year-old managing partner looks like the traditional image of a veteran litigator. But do not let his appearance fool you. Ruyak (pictured left) and his management team at the Washington DC-based firm are doing something that almost no other Am Law 200 firm has done: They are revamping the tried-and-true method of paying law firm associates. Howrey is taking a sledgehammer to the established lockstep system, which guarantees associates salary increases every year. Instead, the firm is implementing a more competitive model: pay rises, when they are granted, will be based exclusively on merit.
