$180K Hits A New Market
Small firm demolishes the local market with big raise.
Just when we thought we were seeing some consensus on salaries in the heartland, someone comes along and raises the stakes again.
Dowd Bennett LLP, a St. Louis-based, high-stakes litigation boutique, has pushed starting salaries to $180K and carved out its place as the Cravath of Mississippi River.
And its roster certainly befits that comparison. With fewer than 30 attorneys, the firm boasts former Senator John Danforth, two former United States Attorneys, two former United States Supreme Court clerks, four former clerks to United States Courts of Appeals, and more lawyers with a bevy of impressive stops on their bios. So it’s a destination employer even before announcing raises.
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But oh what a difference these raises will make! For those keeping score at home, Husch Blackwell just raised its St. Louis salaries to $130K and Bryan Cave is paying $135K, so it’s safe to characterize Dowd Bennett as blowing away the market. And while the boutique is on the smaller side with only a handful of associates, it’s certainly the firm every top graduate and hotshot AUSA has to be gunning for now. It’s always hard to predict what will motivate a firm to move on compensation, but one has to think the biggest firms in St. Louis can’t let a roughly $50K shortfall go unanswered.
In the meantime, Dowd Bennett will continue racking up recruiting wins as the top dog in St. Louis litigation.
Remember, when your firm matches, please text us (646-820-8477) or email us (subject line: “[Firm Name] Matches Cravath”). Please include the memo if available. You can take a photo of the memo and send it via text or email if you don’t want to forward the original PDF or Word file.
Earlier: Salary Movement Trickles Down To Midwest Mainstay
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Joe Patrice is an editor at Above the Law and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. Feel free to email any tips, questions, or comments. Follow him on Twitter if you’re interested in law, politics, and a healthy dose of college sports news.
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