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A Chart of the Top Paying Law Firms of 2015

published February 17, 2015

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( 395 votes, average: 4.5 out of 5)
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When looking for a firm to call your own, there is more to consider than how much money you’ll be taking home. Certainly there is the culture, the work environment, the company mission, the atmosphere – in other words the taste, texture, the actual life lived in making a living. And even if you are looking for the "bottom line" in terms of remuneration, there is also the cost of living to consider. $160,000 income in New York amounts to $67,000 in Dallas, so too simplistic a glance at salaries could deceive you.
A Chart of the Top Paying Law Firms of 2015

Nevertheless, this chart, listing the top paying law firms of 2015, based on 2013 figures, may clue you in on where you should be looking to work.

Of course, any green JD straddled with six figures of debt would be eager to work for any of these fine establishments, but with $160,000 as a Biglaw average, it pays to consider who is offering more, how the second year compares to the first and so forth.

For instance Bickel & Brewer paying $185,000 to first years is a big deal. Ditto Boies Schiller & Flexner at $174,000, and Desmaris LLP ranging from $160,000 to $180,000.

As far as atmosphere and so forth, keep in mind that Fortune has often chosen four firms in particular as part of their top 100: Alston & Bird were at No. 24 in 2012, Bingham McCutchen at No. 30, Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz at No. 54, and Perkins Coie at No. 58.

We would naturally assume there would have to be some correspondence between the quality of the law firm and the quantity of the pay – any faith in capitalism would suggest a big firm can't survive by being substandard – so a bare consideration of these metrics gives an adequate cursory glance at where the industry is at, and where you can be at within it.

Top Law Firm Salaries: Law Firm Salaries 2015
 
Firm Required Billable Hours and Firm Target 2013 Average Hours Billed Per Associate 1st year salary 2nd year salary
Akin Gump No requirement U $160,000 $170,000
Allen & Overy 2,000 target 1,353 $160,000 $170,000
Allen Matkins 1,950 required (1,850 first years) 1,834 $145,000 $170,000
Alston & Bird 1,900 target U $135,000- $160,000 $140,000 -$170,000
Axinn.Veltrop & Harkrider 1,800 target 1,850 $150,000- $160,000 $155,000- $170,000
Baker Botts 2,000 U $160,000 $180,000
Baker & McKenzie 2,000 required U $130,000- $160,000 Varies
Bingham McCutchen 1,900 required U $160,000 $170,000
Bracewell & Giuliani 2,000 target (also 1,800 option) U $160,000 $170,000
Brown Rudnick 1,900 target U $160,000 $165,000- $170,000
Cadwalader No requirement 1,712 $160,000 $170,000
Cahill No requirement U $160,000 $170,000
Chadbourne 1,900 required U $160,000 $170,000
Choate 1,900 required U $160,000 $170,000
Cleary No requirement U $160,000 $170,000
Clifford Chance No requirement U $160,000 $170,000
Cooley 1,900 target 1,907 $160,000 $170,000
Cravath No requirement U $160,000 $170,000
Crowell & Moring 1,900 required 1,715 $160,000 Varies
Curtis Mallet 2,000 target 1,160 $160,000 $170,000
Davis Polk No requirement U $160,000 $170,000
Debevoise No requirement U $160,000 $170,000
Dechert 1,950 required U $145,000- $160,000 $152,500- $170,000
DLA Piper 2,000 target (second years and above) 1,762 $145,000- $160,000 Varies
Duane Morris 1,950 target U $125,000- $145,000 Not lockstep
Dykema 1,950 required U $115,000- $145,000 Not lockstep
Epstein Becker & Green 1,950 target 1,768 $130,000 Not lockstep
Finnegan 2,000 required 1,684 $160,000 $170,000
Fish & Richardson 1,900 required 2,017 $160,000 $175,000
Fitzpatrick 1,600 required, 2,160 for bonus U $160,000 Varies
Foley & Lardner 1,850 required 1,837 $110,000- $160,000 $115,000- $165,000
Fox Rothschild 1,850 required (1,900 for litigation) 1,839 $110,000- $135,000 Not lockstep
Freshfields No requirement U $160,000 $170,000
Fried Frank No requirement U $160,000 $170,000
Gibbons 1,980 required 1,743 U $140,000
Gibson Dunn No requirement U $160,000 $170,000
Goodwin Procter 1,950 target 2,021 (includes pro bono) $160,000 $170,000
Hangley No requirement U $125,000 Varies
Haynes and Boone No requirement 1,806 $160,000 $170,000
Hogan Lovells 1,800 - 2.000 required U $160,000 (in most cities) $170,000 (in most cities)
Holland & Knight 1,900 target U $145,000 (but locations vary) $150,000- $185,000
Hunton & Williams 2,000 target 1,892 $145,000- $160,000 U
Irell & Manella 2,000 target 1,950 $160,000 $170,000
Jackson Walker 1,950 target U $160,000 $165,000
Jenner & Block 2,100 required U $160,000 $170,000
Jones Day No requirement U $135,000- $160,000 Varies
K&L Gates 1,950 target U $115,000- $160,000 Varies
Kasowitz No requirement u $160,000 $170,000
Katten Muchin 2,000 required u $130,000- $160,000 $135,000- $170,000
Kaye Scholer 1,800 target 1,667 $160,000 $170,000
King & Spalding 2,050 target 1,896 $135,000- $160,000 $140,000 -$170,000
Kirkland & Ellis No requirement U $160,000 Varies
Kramer Levin 2,000 target U $160,000 $170,000
Latham & Watkins 1,900 required u $160,000 Varies
Linklaters 2,200 target u $160,000 $170,000
Mayer Brown 2,100 target u $160,000 $170,000
McGuireWoods 1,950 required 1,790 $115,000- $150,000 Not lockstep
McKenna Long & Aldridge 1,900 required 1,698 $135,000- $160,000 Merit-based
Milbank No requirement U $160,000 $170,000
Morgan Lewis No requirement U $145,000- $160,000 $150,000- $170,000
MoFo U U $160,000 Varies
Munger No requirement 1,984 $160,000 $170,000
Nixon Peabody 1,850 target 1,672 $145,000 Merit-based
Nutter 1,900 required 1,632 $145,000 Not lockstep
O'Melveny & Myers No requirement U $160,000 $170,000
Orrick No requirement (1,950 encouraged) 1,769 $145,000- $160,000 $155,000- $170,000
Patterson Belknap 2,100 target (includes 250 nonbillable) 1,850 $160,000 $170,000
Patton Boggs 1,650- 1,950 required 2,183 $160,000 $170,000
Paul, Weiss No requirement U $160,000 $170,000
Pepper Hamilton 1,940 target 1,747 $140,000- $160,000 Varies
Perkins Coie 1,800 - 1,950 1,997 $100,000- $160,000 $105,000- $170,000
Pillsbury 1,950 required U $160,000 $170,000
Proskauer No requirement U $110,000- $160,000 $120,000- $170,000
Quinn Emanuel No requirement U $160,000 $170,000
Reed Smith 1,900 required 1,887 $125,000- $145,000 $130,000- $155,000
Ropes & Gray No requirement U $160,000 $170,000
Schiff Hardin 2,000 required 1,877 $160,000 Tier-based
Sedgwick 1,950 required U U - varies per office U - varies per office
Seward & Kissel 2,000 target 1,631 $160,000 $170,000
Shearman & Sterling No requirement U $160,000 $170,000
Sheppard Mullin 1,950 required 1,813 $160,000 $170,000
Sidley Austin U U $160,000 $170,000
Simpson Thacher No requirement U $160,000 $170,000
Skadden No requirement U S 160,000 $170,000
Snell & Wilmer 2,000 target 1,764 $115,000- $160,000 Varies
Squire Sanders 1,950 required 1,711 $120,000- $150,000 Varies
Strasburger & Price 1,920 required 1,722 $130,000 Varies
Stroock 2,000 target (includes 200 nonbillable) U $160,000 $170,000
Sullivan & Cromwell No requirement U $160,000 $170,000
Venable 1,900 required U $150,000 Varies
Vinson & Elkins 2,000 target 1,820 $160,000 $170,000
Waller 1,800 required 1,738 $110,000 $120,000
Weil No requirement U $160,000 $170,000
White & Case 2,000 target U $155,000- $160,000 $160,000 -$170,000
Wiley Rein 1,800 - 1,950 required 1,870 $135,000- $160,000 $140,000- $170,000
Willkie Farr & Gallagher No requirement U $160,000 $170,000
WilmerHale 2,000 required 1,757 $160,000 $170,000
Wiltshire & Grannis No requirement 1,530 $167,850 $173,240
Winston & Strawn 2,000 target U $160,000 $170,000

Top Law Firm Salaries: Pro Bono Information
 
Firm Hours of Pro Bono That Apply To Your Billable Average no. of pro bono hours per attorney in 2013 ProBono hours of entire firm (all offices)
Akin Gump Unlimited 89 63,445
Allen & Overy 50 19 3,460
Allen Matkins 50 11 1,938
Alston & Bird 100 69 56,584
Axinn Veltrop & Harkrider 100 (More in special circumstances) 47 2,640
Baker Botts Unlimited 43 26,601
Baker & McKenzie 60-100 36 24,310
Bingham McCutchen 100 74 53,170
Bracewell & Giuliani 100 U 12,302
Brown Rudnick Unlimited, with approval 44 8,412
Cadwalader U 29 11,512
Cahill Unlimited 34.5 12,204
Chadbourne 100 61 15,338
Choate Unlimited 40.7 6,427
Cleary Unlimited 76.3 52,106
Clifford Chance Unlimited U (50 minimum expected) U
Cooley Unlimited 46.47 30,184
Cravath U 62 25,318
Crowell & Moring 50 (rest credited for bonus) 72 35,229
Curtis Mallet Unlimited 45 7.279
Davis Polk Unlimited 41 28,868
Debevoise Unlimited 85.8 42,728
Dechert Unlimited (approval needed over 200) 103.3 63,128
DLA Piper 100 (400 on major matters) 81 114,300
Duane Morris 100 28.3 18,180
Dykema 40 (more if approved) 29 10,386
Epstein Becker & Green 100 34.2 4,100
Finnegan 80 to meet 2,000 target, all count towards bonus 83.1 19,547
Fish & Richardson 200 (more with approval) 40.7 13,860
Fitzpatrick Unlimited 26.5 4,391
Foley & Lardner 100 59 50,172
Fox Rothschild 50 (more with approval) 12.5 7,370
Freshfields Unlimited 53.6 8,583
Fried Frank 300 (more with approval) 87.77 36,951
Gibbons 50 72 16,475
Gibson Dunn Unlimited 112.2 116,082
Goodwin Procter Unlimited 62 49,714
Hangley 0 U (50 minimum expected) U
Haynes and Boone 100 (more with approval) 22.2 11,169
Hogan Lovells 100 (once billable target met) 85 82,369
Holland & Knight Unlimited (over 100 needs approval) 65 67,892
Hunton & Williams 50 (plus 25 approved disaster relief) 67 44,908
Irell & Manella Unlimited 86 15,721
Jackson Walker With approval 49 10,120
Jenner & Block Unlimited 175.2 79,720
Jones Day Unlimited U 111,531
K&L Gates Unlimited 30 40,596
Kasowitz Unlimited U U
Katten Muchin 100 (more with approval) 40 25,686
Kaye Scholer 200 55 20,980
King & Spalding 50-100 (more with approval) 44 21,542
Kirkland & Ellis Unlimited 80.6 113,629
Kramer Levin Unlimited 69.2 22,159
Latham & Watkins Unlimited 93 138,553
Linklaters Unlimited 58 6,870
Mayer Brown Unlimited 54 43,785
McGuireWoods 50 22 19,338
McKenna Long & Aldridge 0 (but counts as part of non-billable time) 29.33 18,747
Milbank Unlimited 85 37,838
Morgan Lewis All 51 64,702
MoFo Unlimited 94 79,421
Munger Unlimited 61.5 11,064
Nixon Peabody 60 59 37,949
Nutter Unlimited 54.23 8,244
O'Melveny & Myers Unlimited 112 70,100
Orrick Unlimited 100.1 69,423
Patterson Belknap 0 (but counts as part of non-billable time) 136 27,680
Patton Boggs 100-hour requirement; no limit 76 44,107
Paul, Weiss Unlimited 68 54,471
Pepper Hamilton Unlimited 66 33,761
Perkins Coie Unlimited 62.7 54,555
Pillsbury Unlimited 50.3 28,127
Proskauer Unlimited 46.3 39,462
Quinn Emanuel 100 U U
Reed Smith 120 hours; unlimited once billable hours met 65.51 51,824
Ropes & Gray Unlimited 102 96,779
Schiff Hardin 75 or more with approval 64 16,296
Sedgwick 25 8.1 2,820
Seward & Kissel Discretionary 36.5 6,780
Shearman & Sterling Unlimited 64 26,388
Sheppard Mullin 100, unlimited in New York U U
Sidley Austin U 70.3 117,029
Simpson Thacher Unlimited 62 50,870
Skadden Unlimited 70.7 140,043
Snell & Wilmer Unlimited 50.86 20,855
Squire Sanders 100 29 13,673
Strasburger & Price 30 6.12 1,476
Stroock 200 52 15,249
Sullivan & Cromwell Unlimited 63.2 41,011
Venable 50 41 24,342
Vinson & Elkins Unlimited 47 29,175
Waller 0 23 3,896
Weil Unlimited 87 70,000
White & Case 200 71 44,310
Wiley Rein 50 45.14 12,504
Willkie Farr & Gallagher Unlimited 47.59 20,000
WilmerHale Unlimited 153 162,420
Wiltshire & Grannis Unlimited 50.1 1,048
Winston & Strawn 50 80 64,833


U = undisclosed information

published February 17, 2015

( 395 votes, average: 4.5 out of 5)
What do you think about this article? Rate it using the stars above and let us know what you think in the comments below.

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