First-year associates in the largest U.S. law firms in major cities have come to expect base salaries of $160,000, but many find themselves falling short of that benchmark. That’s because formerly regional firms and those lacking high-end practices have entered the biggest, most expensive markets without matching the large legacy firms’ pay scales, according to an analysis by NALP, the National Association of Law Placement.
“It used to be the case that, as a rule … the bigger the law firm, the higher the salary,” said James Leipold, NALP’s executive director.
