Biglaw

Am Law 100 Firm Announces Raises To $170K-$200K, Depending On Market

An early peek at how salary changes will play out across the country.

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Firms atop the Am Law rankings are falling all over themselves to match, if not top, each other in associate compensation. Law firms run on people, specifically people firms can leverage, and locking down elite talent in a red-hot recruiting market requires bold moves. When firms are sitting on largesse from outstanding 2020 billing, sweetening the salary pot is one way to stay ahead of the game.

But what about the firms with offices outside the NY and DC hotbeds? Does the recruiting bonanza matter as much in locking down associates in St. Louis? Frankly, it’s more interesting to see how major firms operating in smaller markets handle this recent round of raises than the staid Midtown Manhattan firms.

Polsinelli has over 20 offices across the United States and represents one of our earliest looks at how firms will handle these raises outside of the city.

Presumably the $200K figure affords the major market associates (NYC, DC, SF, etc.) just a shade off the new $205K scale match. But associates in smaller markets like, say, the aforementioned St. Louis, will be getting less. Polsinelli appears to be betting that there are some markets it plays in that aren’t competing for talent based on salary.

Though as a non-lockstep firm, Polsinelli may not be taking a particularly big gamble. They still have wiggle room to up the stakes to secure a coveted lateral relocation if they want. How the lateral wars play out in these smaller offices will tell us a lot about the state of these markets.

In any event, some positive news for Polsinelli attorneys regardless of location!

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HeadshotJoe Patrice is a senior 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. Joe also serves as a Managing Director at RPN Executive Search.

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