Some Biglaw Staff Seem Pretty Pissed About The New Associate Salary Scale

It's like 'a slap in the face' to staff at all law firms.

I understand the economics and how much our lawyers bring in. They keep the firms alive and they should be paid properly. But my salary was cut last year. My bonus was cut. I didn’t get a COVID-19 bonus. You see a third-year associate getting a $30,000 bonus, it is a slap in the face to staff. The idea that barriers between attorneys and staff are down … not true. It isn’t an even playing field at all.

My team got cut last year. My salary was eventually restored and I got my bonus late, but for several months [due to the cuts] I was doing two people’s jobs. I didn’t get anything extra for that.

— an anonymous staff member at a large law firm, commenting on the raises that have spread like wildfire across the Biglaw landscape, and acknowledging that while younger associates are important, it still stings that they’re paid inordinately higher salaries than staff who contribute and sacrifice just as much.


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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