Everything's Bigger In Texas, Including Associate Salaries

Associates were 'thrilled' to learn about their raises.

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What will it take for more Biglaw firms to match the Milbank salary scale? While we wait to find out, boutique firms are beating them to the punch, matching (and sometimes) exceeding the soon-to-be prevailing salary scale left and right.

Today, we have news of yet another successful boutique law firm that’s stepped up to the plate when it comes to associate compensation. Lynn Pinker Hurst & Schwegmann, a Texas firm specializing in complex commercial litigation, notified associates of their new salaries today. “We couldn’t do this work without the energy, curiosity, and skill that you bring to work every day,” managing partner Chris Schwegmann said in an email to asssociates. “And we appreciate your very hard work, dedication, and service to the Firm.”

Here’s what the Milbank scale looks like at LPHS:

Lynn Pinker Scale 2022

Here’s what one happy associate had to say about the firm’s raises:

“Normally the firm adopts pay raises after the majority of Big Law firms have already done so. So associates at the firm were surprised and thrilled to learn today that LPHS beat most firms to the market by adopting the new pay scale.”

Biglaw firms are so slow this raise cycle that they’re giving boutique firms the chance to shine. Congratulations to everyone at LPHS!

(Flip to the next page to read the full memo from Lynn Pinker Hurst & Schwegmann.)

Remember everyone, we depend on your tips to stay on top of this stuff. So when your firm matches, please text us (646-820-8477) or email us (subject line: “[Firm Name] Matches”). 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.

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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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