Bloomberg Television
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The $225,000 Starting Salary: How Big Law Associates Make Bank
Posted
December 1, 2025
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December 1, 2025
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5:47Now PlayingBig law associates are the worker bees of their firms, often working long days to meet annual targets of around 2,000 billable hours. The financial rewards are substantial: starting salaries at top tier law firms begin at $225,000 annually, with increases based on seniority. Despite the demanding schedule, these lucrative compensation packages motivate many associates to work long hours, often sacrificing personal time.
The "Cravath scale," named after the prestigious firm Cravath, Swaine & Moore, is the benchmark for associate compensation. It follows a "lockstep" model, where pay is based on seniority. Bloomberg Law breaks down how it works and why the system is still used today.
Produced by Paul Detrick; Senior Producer: Andrew Satter; Story Editor & Executive Producer: Josh Block
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