Lawyer Pay

At least one high-level administrator at a law firm makes $2.7M, survey says

Top-level administrative professionals in law firms make anywhere from $77,000 to $2.7 million in total compensation, according to a recently released survey.

Sep 2, 2022 9:00 AM CDT

Median lawyer income is dropping, when adjusted for inflation, study finds

Lawyer income appears to be increasing, but that’s not the case if you take inflation into account, according to a new study.

Aug 24, 2022 10:17 AM CDT

Boies Schiller and Hausfeld will get big chunk of $626.6M in legal fees in insurance antitrust case

A federal judge in Alabama approved a $2.67 billion settlement and $626.6 million in attorney fees Tuesday in an antitrust class action against Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance plans.

Aug 10, 2022 11:54 AM CDT

This BigLaw firm may be the first to announce special bonuses this summer; will it be the last?

Littler Mendelson has announced special bonuses for some lawyers, making it possibly the first BigLaw firm to offer bonus cash this summer, according to a report by Above the Law.

Aug 2, 2022 12:17 PM CDT

Pay for 2021 law grads is at all-time high as percentage of BigLaw jobs increases, NALP says

Law graduates from the class of 2021 are enjoying record high salaries and record high employment in jobs for which bar passage is required or anticipated, according to figures released Thursday by the National Association for Law Placement

Jul 28, 2022 12:00 PM CDT

Only half of class of 2018 law grads practice in law firms, NALP report finds

Ninety-seven percent of surveyed law graduates from the class of 2018 were employed, but only 51% were working in law firms, according to a joint study by the National Association for Law Placement and the NALP Foundation.

Jun 28, 2022 1:12 PM CDT

Some associates not meeting ‘utilization expectations’ get pay cuts at this law firm

Associates at Steptoe & Johnson who aren’t meeting “utilization expectations” will be getting prorated pay cuts through the end of 2022.

Jun 23, 2022 8:29 AM CDT

How much do new public interest lawyers earn? Despite raises, pay is well below that of law firms, NALP says

Median salaries are growing for lawyers working in civil legal services and public interest organizations, but there are still “sobering distinctions” when compared to law firm pay, according to the National Association for Law Placement.

Jun 22, 2022 10:55 AM CDT

The gap between the highest- and lowest-paid BigLaw partners is expanding

Law firms seeking to hold on to top lawyers appear willing to pay higher amounts that increase the gap between their highest- and lowest-paid equity partners.

Jun 10, 2022 8:57 AM CDT

Lawyer David Boies bills $1,950 per hour, court filing says

A court filing seeking legal fees in privacy litigation against Google indicates that one of the plaintiffs’ lawyers—David Boies—is making $1,950 per hour.

Jun 8, 2022 8:34 AM CDT

BigLaw partner’s hourly billing rate of nearly $2,500 draws objection from bankruptcy trustee

A U.S. bankruptcy trustee is objecting to the hiring of a Hogan Lovells partner who would charge nearly $2,500 per hour to handle appeals in the Chapter 11 case of a Johnson & Johnson subsidiary.

May 25, 2022 8:31 AM CDT

Law firm profitability ‘dropped markedly’ in first quarter amid 12% hike in associate compensation

Law firm profitability decreased in the first quarter of the year, as direct expenses increased 13.1% and overhead increased 9.9% from the same period last year, according to the Thomson Reuters Law Firm Financial Index.

May 11, 2022 8:39 AM CDT

Panel attorneys who represent children, indigent adults in New York courts flee low pay

Panel attorneys who represent children and indigent adults in New York family and criminal courts haven’t had a fee hike in almost two decades.

May 3, 2022 8:43 AM CDT

What factors drive attorney turnover? Compensation isn’t the only issue, new report says

Compensation may be the proximate cause that entices associates to leave their law firms, but “the root cause may run deeper,” according to a report released Thursday.

Apr 21, 2022 2:51 PM CDT

With some partners earning as much as $20M, older lawyers may consider retirement

A surge in law firm profits may be spurring some law firm partners to consider retirement. Some partners at large law firms are earning eight figures. At one BigLaw firm, some partners earned $20 million last year.

Mar 31, 2022 9:21 AM CDT