Boutique Law Firms

Elite Firm Eviscerates Going Market Rate, Offers Starting Salaries Of $215K

The firm's new salaries are retroactive to January 1 -- which is a ton of extra cash for associates.

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Ever since Milbank started this summer’s salary wars in early June, some firms have tried to come in over the top, offering special summer bonuses here or a few extra thousand bucks in starting salaries there in an attempt to prove that they’re the best law firm that there is. More than one month has passed since the madness began, and after surveying the lands, one firm has decided to completely blow away the new $190K salary scale to reward its associates for their hard work. Which one could it be?

It’s none other than Dovel & Luner, a California litigation boutique that specializes in plaintiff-side litigation on a contingency fee basis. The firm has eight lawyers (two of whom are associates), but if you look at their bios, you’ll see a glittering array of top law schools, elite clerkships, and leading Biglaw firms in their backgrounds.

The firm is tiny, but its salary structure sure is mighty. Check out the latest pay scale:

  • 1st Year: $215,000
  • 2nd Year: $225,000
  • 3rd Year: $245,000
  • 4th Year: $280,000
  • 5th Year: $305,000
  • 6th Year: $330,000

Most firms are applying their new salaries retroactively to July 1, but Dovel & Luner is applying its new salaries retroactively to January 1, such that the firm’s associates will receive huge catch-up checks for the first half of the year, essentially eliminating the need to tack on special summer bonuses. Speaking of the firm’s bonuses, they’re tied to the firm’s success, and typically beat Biglaw’s market scale bonuses by multiples — sometimes rising to amounts as high as $700,000.

This isn’t your typical law firm. Dovel & Luner not only pays its associates well, but makes sure that they are properly trained and appearing in courtrooms to argue motions and examine witnesses at trial within their first year at the firm. Work/life balance is encouraged, hours aren’t tracked, and attorneys can keep their own schedules (whether they choose to work at home or in the office). If associates do choose to come to the office, this is the spectacular view they’ll see:

(Photo via Dovel & Luner)

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Congratulations to Dovel & Luner for raising its first-year salary to an envious $215,000. What an achievement! We hope to see more firms follow in its footsteps.

Remember, we are covering this trend extensively, so please drop us a line — text (646-820-8477) or email (subject line: “[Firm Name] Raises Salaries”) — when you know of another firm making a compensation move. 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. All sources are kept confidential.

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Staci ZaretskyStaci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.

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