Clients’ Rate Concerns Slow the Spread of Associate Pay Bump

When Cravath, Swaine & Moore broke a near-decade long drought in associate raises two years ago, other BigLaw firms galloped to catch up with a move that set starting salaries at $180,000. But the latest effort to push up pay another $10,000 has drawn a modest response.

Around half a dozen firms, including Proskauer Rose, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, Winston & Strawn, Irell & Manella, and litigation boutique Hueston Hennigan have stepped up to say they will match the new salary level for freshly minted lawyers set by Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy this week.

Others have been slower, or ...