Boutique Firms Lead BigLaw in Speedy Associate Pay Raises
Boutique firms are raising associate salaries faster and higher than BigLaw in 2026.
Why it matters: Why it matters: This shift directly impacts how law firms compete for associates, influencing career choices and firm economics amid a tight legal talent market.
- Milbank LLP raised first-year associate salaries to $235,000 and eighth-year to $455,000 effective July 2026.
- Boutique firm Susman Godfrey offered $240,000 for first-years and up to $450,000 for senior associates.
- Another boutique matched Susman Godfrey's scale, signaling a new elite boutique benchmark.
- One boutique firm has surpassed $255,000 for first-year associate pay, exceeding BigLaw starting salaries.
In June 2026, boutique law firms began accelerating associate salary increases, outpacing major BigLaw firms. Milbank LLP announced a revised pay scale on June 2, effective July 1, raising first-year associate salaries to $235,000 and eighth-year salaries to $455,000, as detailed here.
Shortly after, the elite litigation boutique Susman Godfrey raised its first-year associate salary to $240,000, with senior associates earning as much as $450,000. This move set a new benchmark among top-tier boutiques, highlighted by legal journalist Staci Zaretsky: "Among the nation’s most elite litigation boutiques, a different benchmark is beginning to emerge — the recently announced Susman Godfrey scale," she noted.
Following suit, Holwell Shuster & Goldberg matched Susman Godfrey's pay scale, reinforcing the emerging boutique standard of higher compensation. The traditional Cravath scale remains at $225,000 for first-year associates and $435,000 for eighth-year, as explained here, but boutiques are pulling ahead.
Further intensifying competition, a boutique firm (unnamed) was reported on June 16 to have raised first-year associate pay to an unprecedented $255,000 according to JD Journal, breaking the established BigLaw pay ceiling.
This trend has major implications for talent management in law firms. With boutiques outpacing BigLaw in salary growth, associates may rethink career trajectories, and firms must strategize their compensation policies carefully to attract and retain top talent.
By the numbers:
- $235,000 — Milbank LLP first-year associate salary starting July 2026
- $240,000 — Susman Godfrey first-year associate salary, setting new boutique benchmark
- $255,000 — First-year associate salary at an unnamed boutique, exceeding BigLaw norms