For the attorneys: salary for counsel at BigLaw?

Anonymous
What would the range be at a big firm for someone who opts not to be on partnership track but takes a counsel position instead? Big firm -- think Arnold & Porter and the like. Thanks
Anonymous
Call a headhunter
Anonymous
It really depends on your field. Most likely somewhere between $250-$300,000.
Anonymous
Around $300K at my firm.
Anonymous
Depending on your experience, contact, etc., you can negotiate incentive/bonuses that can take your counsel salary from the $300k range up to closer to $500k. Counsel-life is the new-world-order of law firms these days. Smart, experienced counsels can earn lots of money without all the downside negatives of partnerships. Good luck and, definitely choose counsel over partnership. It can make for a wonderful life.
Anonymous
could be as low as $175K-$200K, or well over $300K. Do they have their own book of business? What is their billing rate? Just do the math. Figure out how much they bill and how many hours and/or how much they originate.
Anonymous
satan's clan pays well on earth but in the end you will pay with eternal burning and damnation
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Call a headhunter


somebody didnt get any last night....
Anonymous
if they don't have their own business, normally it is a slight pay cut from their highest pay as an associate. And "BigLaw" can mean a lot of things. There is a big difference in billing rate and hours for the top 10 NY based firms and the BigLaw firms with their HQ in Florida, Richmond or Pittsburgh (for example). There is also a big difference in pay in the firms downtown and out in the suburbs.
Anonymous
For the most part, you will have no job security. So be planning for your next step.

Pay is 300-400k.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:For the most part, you will have no job security. So be planning for your next step.

Pay is 300-400k.


depends on the firm and the practice and the book. Junior of-counsel types at the Tysons area BigLaw (think Patton Boggs, McGuire Woods, Holland & Knight, Venable, Reed Smith, Cooley, Hogan) on average pay much closer to $200K (or lower).
Anonymous
No, I know someone who was counsel at one of the firms mentioned above he made closer to the 175K range - said it wasn't much of a change to move to government.
Anonymous
Gee, I make $230K in house.
Anonymous
I know people who are counsel at the first firm mentioned. 200-350K. As another PP mentioned, if you have no business, you have no real job security.
Anonymous
What about newish, non-equity partners at BigLaw. Aren't they making in that counsel range of $350+?
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