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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]What would someone like that make? $400K base + bonus?[/quote]

550 base and 450-500 bonus.[/quote]

I find this hard to believe. Probably more like $415,000 base and bonus potential of no more than $150,000.[/quote]

If I was a 8+ year associate I would definitely try to cap myself at around 600k total as that is about 1.8 mil revenue, pretty easy to generate at a top firm.

To put that in context the GS pay scale tops out at 180k, SESs cap out at 220k working 50+ hours, DC corporate executives at the VP level will rarely make over 400k, surgeons make 500-700k, and financial regulators top out at 275k. If you are in a niche big law practice, 600k is great. Take the rest of the time to build client base and lateral to junior partner or senior in-house role. DC biglaw employees are insanely rich by all local metrics.[/quote]

$1.8 revenue for an associate is about as good as it gets, in my experience.  There are always write-offs, write-downs, whatever your firm’s jargon is, and the result is that only 1850-1950 of those 2000 hours ultimately get paid to the client.  2,000 hours billed per year, at an hourly rate of $900, if paid in full (not happening), is $1.8M.  Again, paying an associate $600k is borderline unsustainable in my opinion.  But I’m just a non-equity partner so what do I know.[/quote]
6th year biglaw here already generating $1.8M revenue (1800 hr @ $1000/hr). [/quote]
Are you sure that you're actually billing at $1k an hour?  I'm client with a $20m litigation/regulatory budget and we don't pay that for a 6th year, even at tippy top firms.  We have discounted rates.[/quote]

+1.  Almost every major client has discounted rates.  No 6th year associate billing 1800 hours is bringing in $1.8 million because no 6th year associate anywhere is being billed out to every client they work for at their full hourly rate.  [/quote]

I find the $1,000/hr figure for a 6th year associate rather questionable.  For a mid-level partner or highly-specialized Of Counsel, maybe...

Word to the wise, if you're making BIGLAW money, that gravy train [b]will[/b] end unless you build your own book ($1M+ in origination) or have someone to feed you billable hours (i.e. a client willing to pay for your work, not the partner's work).  Also, it's also a good idea to acquire a bit of humility if you're looking to move in-house.  There are plenty of incredibly smart, ambitious, and politically savvy in-house counsel who can make or break your career.  They are trusted by the business leaders who make money for their companies, which in turn makes your BIGLAW money possible in the first place.[/quote]

Mid-level partner is $1600-$1900.  Counsel the same.  1,000 for a 6th year does not seem off.

Yes there are discounted rates but don't assume the average discount is all that great.[/quote]

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