Entry Level Attorney... how much to negotiate?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That's well below market. They know it's well below market, and they also know that if you had other options, you would have taken them.

That is probably not well below market for a mid size firm.

What's the average for an entry level, no experience attorney in a mid size firm?

[Anonymous]

I started at a small DC firm in 2009 and was offered a first year salary of $100k plus bar prep fees. So it seems low to me but my firm would never negotiate with first years either so it’s usually take it or leave it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It depends on what kind of firm.

Biglaw (which this clearly isn't given the salary) you don't negotiate unless maybe you have a year or two of clerkship and you want to move up a year, get a clerkship bonus, etc. It's lockstep. It's set.

What is your law school ranked roughly? What is your GPA? Are you on law review?

My law school is T40, I don't have clerkship experience but I am looking to work for a year or two and then do a clerkship, GPA is decent, I do have law review experience.

The lockstep makes sense. Thank you.

You do know that a federal clerkship out of a law firm is extremely unlikely,no? And, no, you usually don’t negotiate these things with middle and large lock-step firms. Everyone is paid the same for the obvious reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It depends on what kind of firm.

Biglaw (which this clearly isn't given the salary) you don't negotiate unless maybe you have a year or two of clerkship and you want to move up a year, get a clerkship bonus, etc. It's lockstep. It's set.

What is your law school ranked roughly? What is your GPA? Are you on law review?

My law school is T40, I don't have clerkship experience but I am looking to work for a year or two and then do a clerkship, GPA is decent, I do have law review experience.

The lockstep makes sense. Thank you.

You do know that a federal clerkship out of a law firm is extremely unlikely,no? And, no, you usually don’t negotiate these things with middle and large lock-step firms. Everyone is paid the same for the obvious reason.

OP here, I've already done two judicial internships, one at the US District court level and one with the 9th Circuit. My judges have written me high praises recommendation letter for me. I'm on OSCAR now and there are a few judges already hiring for 2026.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It depends on what kind of firm.

Biglaw (which this clearly isn't given the salary) you don't negotiate unless maybe you have a year or two of clerkship and you want to move up a year, get a clerkship bonus, etc. It's lockstep. It's set.

What is your law school ranked roughly? What is your GPA? Are you on law review?

My law school is T40, I don't have clerkship experience but I am looking to work for a year or two and then do a clerkship, GPA is decent, I do have law review experience.

The lockstep makes sense. Thank you.

You do know that a federal clerkship out of a law firm is extremely unlikely,no? And, no, you usually don’t negotiate these things with middle and large lock-step firms. Everyone is paid the same for the obvious reason.

OP here, I've already done two judicial internships, one at the US District court level and one with the 9th Circuit. My judges have written me high praises recommendation letter for me. I'm on OSCAR now and there are a few judges already hiring for 2026.

No clerkship bonus? I thought circuit court clerkship were semi prestigious, are no better firms willing to hire you?

As a data point like 10 years ago my friend went to Miles Stockbridge which is a mid-level law firm and started at $125K.

Doesn't NALP still publish first year salaries? That's a resource for you.

[Anonymous]

Op it seems very weird that you went to a t40 law school and have two very good federal clerkships, but your job offer is from a firm offering you $100k. That seems very low for a midsized firm. Starting salaries at biglaw is $225k right now. My husbands non fancy corporate is paying college grads $100k for their first year out of college training year. $100 seems very low for any firm in dc, small or otherwise. Op is this firm smaller and less prestigious than you think? Or maybe it is nonprofit or govt based so its cash position looks different than a typical profitable firm?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It depends on what kind of firm.

Biglaw (which this clearly isn't given the salary) you don't negotiate unless maybe you have a year or two of clerkship and you want to move up a year, get a clerkship bonus, etc. It's lockstep. It's set.

What is your law school ranked roughly? What is your GPA? Are you on law review?

My law school is T40, I don't have clerkship experience but I am looking to work for a year or two and then do a clerkship, GPA is decent, I do have law review experience.

The lockstep makes sense. Thank you.

You do know that a federal clerkship out of a law firm is extremely unlikely,no? And, no, you usually don’t negotiate these things with middle and large lock-step firms. Everyone is paid the same for the obvious reason.

OP here, I've already done two judicial internships, one at the US District court level and one with the 9th Circuit. My judges have written me high praises recommendation letter for me. I'm on OSCAR now and there are a few judges already hiring for 2026.

No clerkship bonus? I thought circuit court clerkship were semi prestigious, are no better firms willing to hire you?

As a data point like 10 years ago my friend went to Miles Stockbridge which is a mid-level law firm and started at $125K.

Doesn't NALP still publish first year salaries? That's a resource for you.

OP hasn't done a clerkship. OP did internships. There's a world of difference, and no one is paying a bonus for an internship.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It depends on what kind of firm.

Biglaw (which this clearly isn't given the salary) you don't negotiate unless maybe you have a year or two of clerkship and you want to move up a year, get a clerkship bonus, etc. It's lockstep. It's set.

What is your law school ranked roughly? What is your GPA? Are you on law review?

My law school is T40, I don't have clerkship experience but I am looking to work for a year or two and then do a clerkship, GPA is decent, I do have law review experience.

The lockstep makes sense. Thank you.

You do know that a federal clerkship out of a law firm is extremely unlikely,no? And, no, you usually don’t negotiate these things with middle and large lock-step firms. Everyone is paid the same for the obvious reason.

You do know you're wrong, right? It's incredibly common now, especially for district court clerkship, for clerks to have a couple years experience.

[Anonymous]

Our 50 lawyer DC firm is starting at first years at 150k

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It depends on what kind of firm.

Biglaw (which this clearly isn't given the salary) you don't negotiate unless maybe you have a year or two of clerkship and you want to move up a year, get a clerkship bonus, etc. It's lockstep. It's set.

What is your law school ranked roughly? What is your GPA? Are you on law review?

My law school is T40, I don't have clerkship experience but I am looking to work for a year or two and then do a clerkship, GPA is decent, I do have law review experience.

The lockstep makes sense. Thank you.

You do know that a federal clerkship out of a law firm is extremely unlikely,no? And, no, you usually don’t negotiate these things with middle and large lock-step firms. Everyone is paid the same for the obvious reason.

OP here, I've already done two judicial internships, one at the US District court level and one with the 9th Circuit. My judges have written me high praises recommendation letter for me. I'm on OSCAR now and there are a few judges already hiring for 2026.

No clerkship bonus? I thought circuit court clerkship were semi prestigious, are no better firms willing to hire you?

As a data point like 10 years ago my friend went to Miles Stockbridge which is a mid-level law firm and started at $125K.

Doesn't NALP still publish first year salaries? That's a resource for you.

OP hasn't done a clerkship. OP did internships. There's a world of difference, and no one is paying a bonus for an internship.

I read too fast. Internships are worthless. If op is looking at $100k firms, they’re not getting a federal clerkship two years later.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our 50 lawyer DC firm is starting at first years at 150k

That’s what I would have assumed is the spot for midsize firms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our 50 lawyer DC firm is starting at first years at 150k

I live in a small metro area in the south (former dc lawyer wfh now) and our local well established but totally local firm is paying $105k for starting associates. And they just do local business law, trusts and estates, real estate closings etc. $100k in dc is really low unless there’s a reason. Like a firm whose clients are primarily govt or non profits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It depends on what kind of firm.

Biglaw (which this clearly isn't given the salary) you don't negotiate unless maybe you have a year or two of clerkship and you want to move up a year, get a clerkship bonus, etc. It's lockstep. It's set.

What is your law school ranked roughly? What is your GPA? Are you on law review?

My law school is T40, I don't have clerkship experience but I am looking to work for a year or two and then do a clerkship, GPA is decent, I do have law review experience.

The lockstep makes sense. Thank you.

You do know that a federal clerkship out of a law firm is extremely unlikely,no? And, no, you usually don’t negotiate these things with middle and large lock-step firms. Everyone is paid the same for the obvious reason.

OP here, I've already done two judicial internships, one at the US District court level and one with the 9th Circuit. My judges have written me high praises recommendation letter for me. I'm on OSCAR now and there are a few judges already hiring for 2026.

No clerkship bonus? I thought circuit court clerkship were semi prestigious, are no better firms willing to hire you?

As a data point like 10 years ago my friend went to Miles Stockbridge which is a mid-level law firm and started at $125K.

Doesn't NALP still publish first year salaries? That's a resource for you.

OP here, I haven't done a clerkship yet, just judicial internships while in law school. I looked at NALP but am not sure if to push back, several people on here said you get what you get.

To be honest, I kind of lazily applied to jobs so now I am playing catch up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It depends on what kind of firm.

Biglaw (which this clearly isn't given the salary) you don't negotiate unless maybe you have a year or two of clerkship and you want to move up a year, get a clerkship bonus, etc. It's lockstep. It's set.

What is your law school ranked roughly? What is your GPA? Are you on law review?

My law school is T40, I don't have clerkship experience but I am looking to work for a year or two and then do a clerkship, GPA is decent, I do have law review experience.

The lockstep makes sense. Thank you.

You do know that a federal clerkship out of a law firm is extremely unlikely,no? And, no, you usually don’t negotiate these things with middle and large lock-step firms. Everyone is paid the same for the obvious reason.

OP here, I've already done two judicial internships, one at the US District court level and one with the 9th Circuit. My judges have written me high praises recommendation letter for me. I'm on OSCAR now and there are a few judges already hiring for 2026.

No clerkship bonus? I thought circuit court clerkship were semi prestigious, are no better firms willing to hire you?

As a data point like 10 years ago my friend went to Miles Stockbridge which is a mid-level law firm and started at $125K.

Doesn't NALP still publish first year salaries? That's a resource for you.

OP hasn't done a clerkship. OP did internships. There's a world of difference, and no one is paying a bonus for an internship.

I read too fast. Internships are worthless. If op is looking at $100k firms, they’re not getting a federal clerkship two years later.

Not true. OP will be fine. Not everyone wants to do big law churns and burn right away. As long as OP maintains contacts with his/her judges, they will be fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op it seems very weird that you went to a t40 law school and have two very good federal clerkships, but your job offer is from a firm offering you $100k. That seems very low for a midsized firm. Starting salaries at biglaw is $225k right now. My husbands non fancy corporate is paying college grads $100k for their first year out of college training year. $100 seems very low for any firm in dc, small or otherwise. Op is this firm smaller and less prestigious than you think? Or maybe it is nonprofit or govt based so its cash position looks different than a typical profitable firm?

OP here, it's a nonprofit type of law firm, but it's exactly the work I want to do.