This Biglaw Firm Rules Them All When It Comes To Lateral Hiring

We’ve never seen numbers like this.

When you think about the size of the firm, its spread geographically, its client diversity and where they are in the league tables for transactional work —just look at what their need is.

— Michael Ellenhorn, CEO of Decipher, a company that tracks U.S. lateral attorney moves, commenting on Latham’s lateral hiring spree thus far in 2021. Between January 1 and June 30, the firm hired 274 lateral associates, the most of any Biglaw firm.


Staci ZaretskyStaci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.

DOJ Sells Martin Shkreli’s $2M Wu-Tang Album

Securities fraud ain’t nothing to f**k with, as “Pharma Bro” Martin Shkreli learned that the hard way when he was sentenced to 7 years back in 2018.

Before departing for the rugged lands of the federal penitentiary, the DOJ seized Shkreli’s highest profile asset, the one-of-a-kind Wu-Tang Clan album, Once Upon A Time In Shaolin, that he snagged for $2 million. For those of you who weren’t following the backstory on this recording

The album was recorded in secret over six years. A single two-CD copy was pressed in 2014 and stored in a secured vault at the Royal Mansour Hotel in Marrakech, Morocco, then auctioned through auction house Paddle8 in 2015. A legal agreement with the purchaser stipulated that the album cannot be commercially exploited until 2103, although it can be played during listening parties.

And Shkreli had it, until the federal government took it with an eye toward satisfying Shkreli’s $7.4 million restitution bill. Today, the DOJ announced that they had sold the album.

While the confidentiality provision robs us of knowing who picked up the record, maybe the buyer will have us over for a listening party soon?


HeadshotJoe Patrice is a senior editor at Above the Law and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. Feel free to email any tips, questions, or comments. Follow him on Twitter if you’re interested in law, politics, and a healthy dose of college sports news. Joe also serves as a Managing Director at RPN Executive Search.

The Legal Tech-To-English Dictionary: Cybersecurity

Ed. note: This is the latest installment of The Legal Tech-to-English Dictionary, part of our Non-Event for Tech-Perplexed Lawyers. Jared Correia is the host of the Non-Eventcast.

There’s a term for when attorneys use Latin and other arcane languages to describe legal processes to consumers: “legalese.”

But there’s no similar term for when vendors use technical and other arcane languages to describe their legal software operations to lawyers.

True, this dynamic may seem unfair. But now we have The Legal Tech-to-English Dictionary to help us cope.

Read on for the latest installment, where we translate data security-related topics to plain English.

And for more commentary on legal tech, check out the latest installment of the Non-Event for Tech Perplexed Lawyers.

PID

1. “Personal identifying data,” or confidential information and information sets that can identify an individual or business and sensitive data related to that individual or business.
2.
Statutorily protected data or data sets to which businesses must apply a heightened level of security.

Client: Great!  I’m looking forward to working with you.

Lawyer: Can you just email me your credit card information, so I can process your retainer?

Client: Um, I’ll get back to you …

Cf. American Bar Association Formal Ethics Opinion 477, which indicates that much of a lawyer’s responsibility surrounding data security relates back to state law rules.

WISP

1. “Written information security program,” that identifies sensitive data within a business, loopholes that could exist for unauthorized parties to access the sensitive data and how those loopholes are closed.
2.
A data security program.

Lawyer 1: Okay, I finished the WISP.

Lawyer 2: Great, bring it in, and I’ll take a look.

. . .

Lawyer 2: Um, what is this?

Lawyer 1: Waffles in strawberry puree (WISP).

Lawyer 2: Alex, did you even go to law school?

Cf. This guide from the Massachusetts government for creation of a data security program can be a useful starting point for law firms in drafting a WISP.

Cf. For many law firms, as mysterious as the “will-o’-the” version.

Malware

1. Software intentionally designed to cause damage to a computer system.
2.
A contraction of “malicious software.”

Lawyer 1: Malicious software? This is why I was against the internet to begin with, Sharon.

Lawyer 2: Um, there’s software that recognizes and prevents malware, and we can also implement training for employees to help them identify potential malware.

. . .

Lawyer 2: What are you doing, Lester? Are those pruning shears?

Lawyer 1: I’m cutting the internet cable in my office.

Lawyer 2: You’re connected by Wi-Fi.

Cf. Ransomware is a particularly obstinate form of malware, coupled with a ransom demand, as in the Colonial Pipeline hack.

Password Management

1. The process by which businesses and individuals create, store and input system passwords.
2.
A program for managing passwords in a business.

Lawyer 1: Hey, Alice . . . that bright red book on your desk that says ‘PASSWORDS’ in gold leaf . . . Does that actually contain your passwords?

Lawyer 2: No.

Lawyer 1: Oh, good.

Lawyer 2: I used to do that, because I had so many different passwords to try to remember. Now, I just use one password for everything. It’s my dog’s name, Cecilia.

Lawyer 2: Here’s a bunch of posts I made about her on social media.

Lawyer 1: Oh, lord.

Cf. Password management tools like LastPass make the creation and management of passwords for individuals and businesses much simpler.

Data Breach

1. Unauthorized access to confidential or private information.
2.
An incident in which confidential information is accessed or used without authorization.

Lawyer 1: There’s no easy way to say this, Jim, but, I think our systems have been breached.

Lawyer 2: Okay, okay. I’ve got this.

Lawyer 2: Nobody needs to find out about any of this. Burn all the desktops.

Lawyer 1: Most of our data is in the cloud.

Lawyer 2: Then, BURN THE CLOUD.

Lawyer 1: I’m not sure you understand how this works.

Cf. Almost every state in the U.S. has a notification law, that indicates which persons and entities a business must inform in the case of a data breach.  Then, burn the cloud.


Jared Correia, a consultant and legal technology expert, is the host of the Non-Eventcast, the featured podcast of the Above the Law Non-Event for Tech-Perplexed Lawyers. 

Salary Wars Scorecard: Which Firms Have Announced Raises? (2021)

Firm Date Matched Special Bonuses Milbank
Class of 2020/2021: $200K $205K
Class of 2013: $355K $365K FIRST MOVER
June 10, 2021
June 29, 2021 (re-raise) Yes
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2013: $64K McDermott Will & Emery
Class of 2020: $200K $205K
Class of 2013: $355K $365K June 10, 2021
June 11, 2021 (re-raise) Yes (hours-based)
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K Cadwalader
Class of 2020/2021: $200K
Class of 2021: $202.5K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013: $355K $365K June 10, 2021
June 16, 2021 (re-raise) Yes (hours-based)
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K Mintz
Class of 2020/2021: $200K
Class of 2013: $355K June 10, 2021 No Arent Fox
1st Years: $190K
2nd-8th Years: Individualized (but likely in the +$15K range) June 10, 2021 No (but the firm is adjusting its productivity bonuses, will range from $15K to $75K for 1950 hours) Fenwick
Tier 1/Level 1: $200K $205K
Tier 3: $355K $350K-$375K June 10, 2021
June 22, 2021 (re-raise) Yes (hours-based)
Tier 1/Level 1: $12K
Tier 3: $64K Davis Polk
Class of 2021: $202.5K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013+: $365K NEW MARKET LEADER
June 11, 2021 Yes
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K Winston & Strawn
Class of 2021: $205K
Class of 2020: $200K $205K
Class of 2013+: $355K $365K June 11, 2021
June 23, 2021 (re-raise) Yes (hours-based)
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2013+: $64K Baker McKenzie
Class of 2021: $202.5K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013: $365K June 11, 2021 Yes (hours-based)
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2013+: $64K Dechert
Class of 2021: $202.5K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013+: $365K June 11, 2021 Yes (hours-based)
Class of 2020: $12K minimum
Class of 2014+: $12K minimum, “enhanced” up to $64K Lowenstein
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013: “corresponding [salary] adjustment” June 11, 2021 Yes (hours-based)
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2013: $64K Proskauer Rose
Class of 2021: $202.5K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013: $365K June 11, 2021 Yes
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2013: $64K Cleary Gottlieb
Class of 2021: $202.5K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013+: $365K June 11, 2021 Yes
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2013: $64K Gunderson Dettmer
Class of 2021: $202.5K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2012: $375K June 11, 2021 Yes (hours-based)
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2013+: $64K Polsinelli
Class of 2022: $170K to $200K, depending on market
Class of 2013: Presumptive corresponding salary adjustments June 11, 2021 No Vinson & Elkins
Class of 2021: $202.5K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013: $365K June 14, 2021 Yes (hours-based)
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K Pillsbury
Class of 2021: $202.5K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2014: $350K
Counsel: $365K June 14, 2021 Yes (hours-based)
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014/Counsel: $64K: $64K Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013: Presumptive corresponding salary adjustments June 14, 2021 No Boies Schiller
Class of 2021: $202.5K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013+: $365K June 14, 2021 Yes
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+ $64K O’Melveny & Myers
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013+: $365K June 15, 2021 Yes
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K Skadden
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013+: $365K June 15, 2021 Yes (hours-based)
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K Hueston Hennigan
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013+: $365K June 15, 2021 Yes
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K Mayer Brown
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013+: $365K June 15, 2021 Yes (hours-based)
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K Ropes & Gray
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013+: $365K June 16, 2021 Yes
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K Freshfields
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013+: $365K June 16, 2021 Yes
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K Akin Gump
Class of 2021: $202.5K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013: $365K June 16, 2021 Yes (potentially hours-based for second payment)
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K Norton Rose Fulbright
Class of 2021: $202.5K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013: $365K
(only applies in California, New York, Texas, and D.C. offices; presumed raises on “regional scale” in other offices) June 16, 2021 Yes (hours-based; only in California, New York, Texas, and D.C.; payouts on “regional scale” in other offices)
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K Seyfarth
A; P1: $170K (Charlotte, Houston, Sacramento, Seattle) / $190K (New York, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, Washington, Los Angeles)
SA; P3: $265K / $320K June 16, 2021 No Selendy & Gay
Class of 2021: $202.5K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2014: $350K June 16, 2021 Yes
Class of 2020: $13.8K
Class of 2014+: $73.6K Seward & Kissel
Class of 2021: $202.5K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013+: $365K June 16, 2021 No Wilson Sonsini
Class of 2021: $205K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013: $365K June 16, 2021 Yes (hours-based)
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2012+: $64K Schulte Roth & Zabel
Class of 2021: $202.5K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2012: $375K June 16, 2021 Yes (hours-based)
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2012: $64K DLA Piper
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2012+: $375K June 16, 2021 Yes
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2012: $64K Wilkinson Stekloff
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013+: $365K June 16, 2021 No Cravath
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2014: $350K June 16, 2021 Yes
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014: $64K Paul Weiss
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013+: $365K June 16, 2021 Yes
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K Sheppard Mullin
Entry Level: $202.5K
Counsel 2: $365K June 17, 2021 Yes (hours-based)
A1: $12K
C2: $64K Willkie Farr
Class of 2020/2021: $205K
Class of 2013+: $365K June 17, 2021 Yes
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K Fried Frank
Class of 2021: $202.5K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2012: $375K June 17, 2021 Yes (hours-based)
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K Munger Tolles
Class of 2021: $202.5K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013+: $365K June 17, 2021 No Morgan Lewis
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013: $365K June 17, 2021 Yes
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K Goodwin
Class of 2021: $202.5K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013+: $365K June 17, 2021 Yes (hours-based)
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K WilmerHale
Class of 2021: $202.5K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013+: $365K June 17, 2021 Yes (hours-based)
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K Paul Hastings
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013+: $365K June 17, 2021 Yes (hours-based)
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K Allen & Overy
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013: $365K June 17, 2021 Yes
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2013: $64K Fish & Richardson
A1: $205K
A7: $350K June 17, 2021 Yes (hours-based)
A1: $12K
A7: $64K Debevoise
Class of 2021: $202.5K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2012+: $375K June 17, 2021 Yes
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K Cohen Ziffer
Class of 2021: $202.5K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013+: $365K June 17, 2021 No (firm founded less than 6 months ago) Simpson Thacher
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013: $365K June 17, 2021 Yes
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2013: $64K Kirkland & Ellis
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2015: $330K June 17, 2021 Yes
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2015+: $59.2K White & Case
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013: $365K June 17, 2021 Yes (hours-based)
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2013+: $64K Quinn Emanuel
Class of 2021: $202.5K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013: $365K June 17, 2021 Yes (hours-based)
Class of 2020: $12K/$15K
Class of 2014: $64K/$80K Hogan Lovells
Class of 2021: $202.5K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013+: $365K June 17, 2021 Yes (hours-based)
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K Cooley
Class of 2021: $205K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2012: $375K June 17, 2021 Yes (hours-based)
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K Gibson Dunn
Class of 2021: $202.5K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013: $365K June 17, 2021 Yes (hours-based)
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K Katten Muchin
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2014+: $350K June 17, 2021 Yes (hours-based)
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K Kramer Levin
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2012: $375K June 17, 2021 Yes (hours-based)
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K Hunton Andrews Kurth
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013: $365K
(based on performance evaluations) June 17, 2021 Yes (hours-based)

Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K

MoFo
Class of 2021: $202.5K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013+: $365K June 17, 2021 Yes (hours-based) Baker Botts
Class of 2021: $202.5K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013+: $365K June 18, 2021 Yes (hours-based)
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K McKool Smith
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2014: $350K June 18, 2021 Yes (hours-based)
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K Irell
Class of 2021: $205K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013: $365K June 18, 2021 Yes
Class of 2020: $26.5K
Class of 2014+: $73K Keker Van Nest
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013+: $365K June 18, 2021 Yes
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K Reid Collins & Tsai
1st-3rd Year: $225K
3rd-5th Year: $275K
5th-7th Year: $325K
6th Year+ (nonequity partners): $400K June 18, 2021 No (but firm has paid out ~$80K per associate in bonuses in 2021 thus far) Kellogg Hansen
1st Year (post-clerkship): $245K
6th Year+ (post-clerkship): $370K June 21, 2021 No Sidley
Class of 2021: $205K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013: $365K June 21, 2021 Yes
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K Sullivan & Cromwell
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013+: $365K June 21, 2021 Yes
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014: $64K Latham
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2012+: $375K June 21, 2021 Yes (hours-based)
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K Desmarais
Class of 2020: $210K
Class of 2013: $370K June 21, 2021 Yes
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K Weil Gotshal
Class of 2021: $202.5K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2014: $350K June 21, 2021 Yes
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+/3-Year Counsel: $64K Cahill
Class of 2021: $205K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013+: $365K June 21, 2021 Yes
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014: $64K Covington
Class of 2021: $202.5K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013: $365K June 21, 2021 Yes (hours-based)
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K Choate Hall
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2012: $375K June 21, 2021 No Clifford Chance
Class of 2021: $205K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013: $365K June 21, 2021 Yes
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K Haynes & Boone
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2014: $350K
(raise contingent on having billed 1800 hours in the 12 months prior as of June 30, 2021; class of 2020 exempt) June 21, 2021 Yes (hours-based)
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K Orrick
Incoming Year 1 Assoc: $202.5K
Year 1 Assoc: $205K
Senior Assoc Year 2: $350K (eligible for $15K adjustment, for a total of $365K) June 21, 2021 Yes
Class of 2020: $12K/$13.1K
Class of 2014/Counsel: $64K/$70K Chapman & Cutler
Class of 2021: $202.5K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013: $365K June 21, 2021 No Ross Aronstam
Class of 2021: $202.5K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013: $365K June 21, 2021 Yes
Class of 2017: $44K
Class of 2014+: $64K Sherman & Sterling
Class of 2021: $202.5K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013: $365K June 21, 2021 Yes
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K Steptoe & Johnson
Class of 2021: $202.5K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013: $365K June 21, 2021 Yes (hours-based)
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K Dorsey & Whitney
4th Year+ (Minneapolis, Salt Lake City, Seattle, Denver): $10-15K raises June 21, 2021 Yes (hours-based; not by class year; below market)
1800-1899: $2.5K
2400+: $20K Arnold & Porter
Class of 2021: $202.5K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013+: $365K June 22, 2021 Yes (hours-based)
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K Linklaters
Class of 2021: $202.5K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013: $365K June 22, 2021 Yes
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K Torys
Class of 2021: $202.5K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013+: $365K June 22, 2021 Yes (hours-based)
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K Perkins Coie
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013: $365K June 23, 2021 Yes (hours-based)
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K King & Spalding
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2014+: $350K June 24, 2021 Yes (hours-based)
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K Brown Rudnick
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2014: $350K June 24, 2021 No Snell & Wilmer
1st Years: $190K (LA/OC/SD/DC)
$150K (Denver/PHX/SLC)
$145K (LV/Portland)
$135K (Reno/Tucson)
2nd Years+: Individualized, black box June 24, 2021 No Jenner & Block
Class of 2021: $202.5K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2014: $350K June 24, 2021 Yes (hours-based)
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014: $64K Greenberg Traurig
Class of 2020: $205K
All other class years: Individualized, comparable “market” raises
(Only in New York City) June 24, 2021 TBD (only in certain offices; very secretive process) Kelley Drye
All class years raised by $10K June 25, 2021 Yes (off-market; hours-based)
Discovery Attorneys: $5,000
Class of 2018-2020: $10K
Class of 2015-2017: $20K
Class of 2014+: $30K Jones Day
Class of 2020: $210K
Class of 2019+: Individualized, black box June 25, 2021 No Glenn Agre
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013+: $365K June 28, 2021 No Reed Smith
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2019+: New national payscale to be announced on July 7 June 28, 2021 Yes (hours-based)
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014: $64K Alston & Bird
Class of 2021: $202.5K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2014+: $350K+ June 28, 2021 Yes (hours-based)
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K Smyser Kaplan & Veselka
Class of 2021: $202.5K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2014: $350K June 28, 2021 No Susman Godfrey
Class of 2020: $210K
Class of 2013: $370K June 29, 2021 No Stroock
Class of 2021: $202.5K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013: $365K June 29, 2021 Yes (hours-based)
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K Goulston & Storrs
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2019: $215K
Class of 2018: $240K
All other classes: individualized raises commensurate with market June 30, 2021 No Faegre Drinker
1st Years/8th Years: $205K/$315K (CA/CH/DC/NY)
$190K/$300K (PH)
$180K/$280K (CO/DA/MN/NJ/WM)
$150K/$230K (IN)
$140K/$215K (DM/FW)) July 1, 2021 No Foley & Lardner
Class of 2021: $202.5K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2019: $215K
Class of 2018+: merit-based, “comparable” to DPW scale July 1, 2021 Yes (hours-based)
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K Holwell Shuster & Goldberg
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2014: $340K July 1, 2021 No Stoel Rives
$10K pay increase for all class years across all markets July 1, 2021 No Duval & Stachenfeld
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013: $365K July 1, 2021 No K&L Gates
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013: $365K
Salaries individualized based on market compensation July 2, 2021 No Vedder Price
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013+: $305K-$325K
Salaries individualized based on “market factors” July 3, 2021 No Loeb & Loeb
Tier 1: $205K
Tier 8: $300K July 7, 2021 Yes (hours-based)
Tier 1: $12K
Income Partner: $70K Kasowitz Benson
Class of 2021: $202.5K
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013: $365K July 12, 2021 Yes (New York associates only)
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K Holland & Knight (combined firm)
1L: $205K
8L: $365K July 12, 2021 Yes (hours-based; both Holland & Knight and Thompson & Knight)
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014: $64K Tensegrity
Class of 2020: $210K
Class of 2012: $380K July 13, 2021 TBD Crowell & Moring
Two-Tier Salary System
2000 hours
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013: $365K
1900 hours
Class of 2020: $185K
Class of 2013: $340K July 15, 2021 No Cozen O’Connor
Class of 2020: $20K raise
All other class years: Up to $20K raise at discretion of department chairs July 15, 2021 Yes (presumably hours-based)
Amount undisclosed Taft Law
Class of 2020: $195K (Chicago)
Class of 2020: $140K (Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton)
Class of 2020: $150K (Cleveland, Indianapolis)
Class of 2020: $180K (Minneapolis)
All other class years: “corresponding increases” July 15, 2021 No (but firm has enacted “enhanced firm-wide, incentive-based bonus program”) Axinn Veltrop
Class of 2020: $205K
Class of 2013: $365K July 16, 2021 Yes
Class of 2020: $12K
Class of 2014+: $64K Blank Rome
Class of 2020: $205K (New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, D.C.)
Class of 2020: $190K (Wilmington, Princeton, Philadelphia)
All other class years: “commensurate raises depending on class year, market, and practice area” July 19, 2021 No Duane Morris
Class of 2020: $190K (Philadelphia, New York, D.C., Chicago)
All other class years: “commensurate market salary increases” July 19, 2021 No Schiff Hardin
Class of 2021: $205K
Class of 2020: $205K
All other class years: lockstep system “based on achieving certain performance thresholds” July 23, 2021 No Williams & Connolly
Class of 2021: $220K
Class of 2020: $220K
Class of 2013+: $400K July 23, 2021 No

The First Thing I Learned In Bar Prep Is…

The first element of the torte is flour. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

If this looks like you answering the MEE section of the Bar, just know that you aren’t the only one.

We at ATL are wishing you a minimally competent bar exam experience. You’ve got another day of this and then you’re done. So focus. Trust your mnemonics. And, Keep it mechanical!


Chris Williams became a social media manager and assistant editor for Above the Law in June 2021. Prior to joining the staff, he moonlighted as a minor Memelord™ in the Facebook group Law School Memes for Edgy T14s. Before that, he wrote columns for an online magazine named The Muse Collaborative under the pen name Knehmo. He endured the great state of Missouri long enough to graduate from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law. He is a former boatbuilder who cannot swim, a published author on critical race theory, philosophy, and humor, and has a love for cycling that occasionally annoys his peers. You can reach him by email at cwilliams@abovethelaw.com.

Britney’s New Lawyer Calls Out Biglaw Firm In Bid To End Conservatorship

(Photo by Michelangelo Di Battista/Sony/RCA via Getty Images)

After years locked in a conservatorship, Britney Spears has a new lawyer and an opportunity to get out of the arrangement that see says leaves her with a meager stipend and involuntarily stuck on birth control. Mathew Rosengart, a former Souter clerk from the justice’s days on the New Hampshire bench, represents Britney in the fight now and just filed a 120-page petition to remove her father as sole conservator.

The petition alleges Jamie Spears paid himself $16,000 a month — more than Britney is allowed to make — and took percentages from Britney’s deals as if he were a manager or agent, despite performing neither of these roles.

But mixed in among the series of shocking allegations of financial abuse are some jabs aimed directly at Biglaw.

From NPR:

Additionally, Rosengart argues, Mr. Spears has brought in multiple expensive teams for his own legal representation — which Britney Spears has ultimately paid for. One such firm, Holland & Knight, has charged the estate over $1.3 million just from Oct. 2020 to June 2021 to represent Mr. Spears in litigation matters. Until earlier this month, Ms. Spears was only represented by one court-appointed attorney.

Holland & Knight’s involvement has made headlines before. Back in April, the firm went to court to defend its fees from an objection lodged by Britney’s mother. We rarely question the propriety of Biglaw fees — indeed, the fee request reflected hourly rates between $500-$900/hour which isn’t out of the ordinary — but it certainly feels like overkill to amass over a million in fees while sparring with a court-appointed attorney who, it appears, failed to inform Britney that she even had the right to challenge the conservatorship.

Indeed, most of that fee dump didn’t even involve legal services. According to the conservatorship request, the latest tranche of fees mostly paid for the Holland & Knight communications team having to respond to media inquiries over the nature of the conservatorship.

“This Conservatorship has been the subject of increasingly intense media scrutiny both in traditional news media as well as on social media and also documentary films,” Jamie’s court documents read, referencing fans’ #FreeBritney campaign and the New York Times documentary “Framing Britney Spears,” which premiered in February.

“H&K has assisted Mr. Spears in dealing with domestic and global media matters relating to the Conservatorship in order to maintain the privacy of the Conservatee and for the protection of the Estate from inappropriate and/or unwarranted intrusion.”

Apparently, H&K wants us to know that they wouldn’t be spending this much of her money if we’d all stop asking questions about why a 39-year-old woman is barred from removing her own IUD. The irony, of course, is that the communication team charged with putting a happy face on the conservatorship managed to make its own bills a negative headline in the upcoming legal battle. Hopefully it’s not too expensive for them to run damage control on that.

Britney Spears’ Lawyer Files To Have Her Father Removed From Controlling Her Finances [NPR]


HeadshotJoe Patrice is a senior editor at Above the Law and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. Feel free to email any tips, questions, or comments. Follow him on Twitter if you’re interested in law, politics, and a healthy dose of college sports news. Joe also serves as a Managing Director at RPN Executive Search.

Vault’s Top Law Firms By Practice Area And Region (2022)

Last week, Vault released its closely watched rankings of the nation’s 100 most prestigious law firms. It was there that we learned Cravath held onto its title as the most prestigious firm in America for the sixth year in a row, and that Wachtell had returned to its No. 2 spot after being edged out by Skadden last year for the first time in the history of the rankings.

But what if your firm wasn’t top-ranked in the Vault 100? Perhaps your firm isn’t the most prestigious, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have clout. Some law firms reign supreme when it comes to certain practice areas, and others are known to dominate entire regions of the country.

Which law firms are considered to be at the top of their game by practice area and region in our post-pandemic world? Let’s find out!

For the purposes of the practice area ranking, Vault asked associates to vote for up to three firms they think of as the strongest in their own practice area, and the overall ranking indicates the firms that received the highest percentage of votes. Associates were not allowed to vote for their own firm, which we’re sure made many recovering gunners very, very sad. Current gunners may find this list useful if they know which area they’d prefer to practice in. Pay attention, prospective laterals, because this is useful for you, too.

We’ve picked out a dozen of the practice areas that were ranked by Vault (you can see the full list here):

Appellate Litigation: Gibson Dunn

Bankruptcy/Restructuring: Kirkland & Ellis

Energy, Oil and Gas: Vinson & Elkins

General Commercial Litigation: Quinn Emanuel

General Corporate Practice: Cravath

Intellectual Property: Fish & Richardson

International: White & Case

Labor and Employment: Littler Mendelson

Private Equity: Kirkland & Ellis

Real Estate: Fried Frank

Securities/Capital Markters: Davis Polk

Tax: Skadden

Next up, we’ve got a ranking that matters to those who think “location, location, location” is the most important thing in life. Vault’s regional rankings are based on votes tabulated from associates who were asked to rate firms on a 1 to 10 scale based on their prestige within the region.

Here’s the list of prestige by region from Vault (you can see the full list here):

Atlanta: King & Spalding

Boston: Ropes & Gray

Chicago: Kirkland & Ellis

Florida: Holland & Knight

Mid-Atlantic: Skadden

Midwest: Jones Day

Mountain States: Gibson Dunn & Crutcher

New York: Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz

Northern California: Cooley

Pacific Northwest: Perkins Coie

South Atlantic: Alston & Bird

Southern California: Latham & Watkins

Texas: Vinson & Elkins

Washington, DC: Covington & Burling

Congratulations to the firms that moved up in this year’s practice area and regional rankings, and congratulations to all the firms that made the cut in the first place. It must be nice to see which firms associates consider as their peers in prestige, and it must be even nicer for partners to know whose pricing models they need to undercut the next time around.

Best Law Firms by Practice Area (2022) [Vault]
Best Law Firms by Region (2022) [Vault]


Staci ZaretskyStaci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.

A ‘Bar Exam’ For Bar Examiners

Dear Bar Examiners:

You will have 30 minutes to answer the following 12 questions. Please do not use scratch paper or look up to think, as that will be considered cheating. Once you start answering, please do not use the restroom until you finish answering all the questions. Also, don’t squirm as your bladder gives out, for that will be considered cheating. Good luck!  

  1.  Is it the law schools that are failing the legal profession by failing to prepare students for the bar? Or is it the bar examiners who assure that students must take a bar prep course to increase their costs? Explain your answer. Avoid hyperbole.
  2. To what degree does treating bar exam takers like cheaters and people without moral character transfer to public perception that lawyers are all cheats and liars?
  3. To what degree do you feel responsible for racial and economic disparities in bar passage rates? Do you feel any obligation to correct them? If not, what are you insinuating about certain members of the bar? Do you care?
  4. How do memory tests assure competency to the public at large?
  5. How do multiple-choice tests assure competency to the public at large?
  6. Do the benefits of the bar exam exceed the costs? Including the lost income forgone to exam takers? To the pain and mental health issues it can affect? What do you include in your cost-benefit calculation? Be specific.
  7. Is the bar exam so draconian to prepare exam takers for work in Biglaw? Is this a hazing ritual for future associates to get used to being inhumanely treated? If so, can there be an exception for those not working in Biglaw?
  8. Why does it take so long to grade the exams? I mean, we law professors get lots of jokes about how we take so long over the holiday break, but why do you all take so long? Is it lack of staff?
  9. What do our bar dues cover? I figure since the bar exam is a gatekeeping I am curious what the dues do for us? Don’t say CLE. I happen to pay for that separately (and have to fight every damn time the CLE isn’t from my state).
  10. Does the UBE create any perverse incentives in terms of the overall regulation of the legal profession? Have state bars, by acquiescing, entrenched a monopolist? What are the risks of that?
  11. If CLE is such an important thing for legal education, why isn’t THAT the first thing we offer to law school graduates?
  12. Do you feel that the bar exam is an equitable test? For example, might it be more difficult for first-generation students and people with fewer financial resources to adequately prepare for it? If so, then are you saying you have to be rich to be competent?

I have more, but that’s all for now. Remember, no cheating. And, of course, an undetermined number of you may not pass.  Don’t worry, you can retake my test in February.


LawProfBlawg is an anonymous professor at a top 100 law school. You can see more of his musings hereHe is way funnier on social media, he claims. Please follow him on Twitter (@lawprofblawg). Email him at lawprofblawg@gmail.com.

What Makes Small Firms Tick? 

Practice management platforms are the backbone of any small law firm’s business operations, and we want to know all about yours. 

What are your technology goals? Your problems? Your opinions? Your blue sky scenarios? 

Help us benchmark the industry and win a chance at a $250 gift card with this anonymous survey about all things practice management tech. 

How Bad Can Taking The Bar Exam Really Be?

Everyone loves a good bar exam horror story.

The experience, usually only a mildly miserable one, is one that is shared by most attorneys (diploma privilege FTW), and we love to hear stories of when things go terribly awry for others. Yes, perhaps there is a good dose of schadenfreude that makes the ritualistic telling of bar exam horror stories so enjoyable, but it also helps people deal with the trauma of their own experience.

Over the years Above the Law has collected some doozies. Poop stories, birth stories, fires, seizures, bugs, tech issues, peeping toms, awful proctors, strokes… pretty much all manner of awfulness. And I am certain right now, as folks are taking the most recent bar exam across the country, terrible things are happening.

So, here’s the important question — what was the craziest thing that happened during the bar exam 2021? If you survived or witnessed some horror story in action, let us know. You can email it to us (subject line: “Bar Exam Horror Story”) or text us (646-820-8477). Maybe your story will inspire others to persevere.


Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, host of The Jabot podcast, and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1).