The Biglaw Pay Raises Head South

These salaries aren't at New York levels, but they're perfectly reasonable, and associates are pleased.

southeast United States SouthFortunately for associates, birds aren’t the only ones heading south for the winter. Biglaw pay raises are as well.

The Cravath-led pay raise from June is giving rise to salary hikes in September. Here’s the latest news, announced in meetings earlier today at the 140-year-old, 500-lawyer firm of Womble Carlyle (as related by a source in attendance):

Womble Carlyle just announced they are increasing salaries (starting January 1st) across the board.

In North Carolina and Georgia, first-year salaries go from $135,000 to $155,000.
In South Carolina, first-year salaries go from $120,000 to $125,000.
In Maryland and Delaware, first-year salaries go from $145,000 to $160,000.
In Virginia, California, and D.C., first-year salaries go from $150,000 to $170,000.

Everyone else gets a corresponding salary increase on a percentage basis:

North Carolina and Georgia associates get a 14.8% increase.
South Carolina associates get a 4.2% increase.
Maryland and Delaware associates get a 10.3% increase.
Virginia, California, and D.C. associates get a 13.3% increase.

Although these salaries miss the MoneyLaw cut, they are perfectly respectable for a firm that’s a little outside the Am Law 100 (#111 in the most recent rankings).

But there is, of course, a catch (there’s always a catch):

Along with that comes increased billable hour expectations — which start October 1st, a full quarter before salary increases take effect.

Associates are now expected to bill 1850 hours instead of the previous minimum 1800. To be bonus-eligible, though, they have to bill 1900, of which 50 can be pro bono hours.

So there’s that. But Womble Carlyle isn’t the only firm that’s raising hours requirements along with pay. And by Biglaw standards, an hours requirement of 1850 to 1900 is still quite civilized.

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Not surprisingly, Womble Carlyle associates are happy, as one of them told us:

Reaction was generally positive. There were some negative comments regarding the fact that increased hours are starting a full quarter before corresponding salary increases, and they didn’t yet have any information on what bonuses would be if you hit the 1900 or 2100 thresholds. But other than that, people seem pretty pleased!

Congrats to the Womble Carlyle associates on their pay raise. January will be here before you know it.

Remember, when your firm raises, please text us (646-820-8477) or email us (subject line: “[Firm Name] Raises Salaries”). 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. Thanks.

UPDATE (5:08 p.m.): An earlier version of this post incorrectly stated that Maryland and Delaware starting salaries were going from $150,000 to $160,000. They are actually going from $145,000 to $160,000.

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David Lat is the founder and managing editor of Above the Law and the author of Supreme Ambitions: A Novel. You can connect with David on Twitter (@DavidLat), LinkedIn, and Facebook, and you can reach him by email at dlat@abovethelaw.com.


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