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lots of BIGLAW Partners basically make what senior associates make all in?
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 4:35 PM Author: we are definitely claiming fraud trumpmos (oppose israel bois) BIGLAW friend told me this yesterday. He said people who don't originate work basically make senior associate comp but that there are some positives (increased 401k contribution/tax evasion) and negatives (pay taxes in all 50 states, pay for own healthcare) which are basically a wash.
But he said both positions are stressful as fuck because the senior associate needs to make partner or is out, and the low performing partners who don't originate work are always afraid they can be fired at a moments notice.
LOL BIGLAW |
Date: August 23rd, 2025 4:47 PM Author: klarna ((zurich is stained)) At shittier biglaw firms this is the case. I was a partner at baker hostetler dc. Got promoted in 2018 and left in 2022. In 2017, I was making 260 or 270, so we can start with the fact that bh, like many shit tier biglaw firms, doesn’t pay lockstep to associates. At that time, associates at lockstep firms topped out at 340 due to increases in, I believe, 2017 and 2018.
Anyway, my first year as partner I made $313,500 (lol). And I got small bumps each year after that bc I had no client credit. When I left I was making 350 or 360. There was a senior associate in my group (who actually worked for me) making 350, and he didn’t get raped with taxes like I did. I wound up stealing about $1m in biz and stole around another $1m at a firm I went to after that. If my book stays around $2m I should make $780k on the deal I’m on now, and when I make equity I’ll make $880-900k. Of course I worry always that my book will collapse, but that’s another story. I’m likely quitting firm life in 3-4 years.
The more prestigious firms pay their partners well regardless of originations but most of biglaw (“vault 100”) are shit, eat what you kill outfits now. And even bh has made it super hard to make partner. Boomers continue pulling the ladder up. |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 10:38 PM Author: we are definitely claiming fraud trumpmos (oppose israel bois) this is depressing to read but at least you ended up alright.
where do you draw the line between the top of BIGLAW that pays all partners well and the shitty V100? is it basically everything outside of V20 at this point? |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 10:43 PM Author: .,.,;,.,.,;,;., V25 is a reasonable, quick cutoff for "truly elite" vs. what zurich is describing. That's obviously an approximation and there will be exceptions either side and depending on circumstances etc. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5765548&forum_id=2E#49208144) |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 10:49 PM Author: """'"'"""'' I find it hard to believe that many partners outside of V25 are really making around senior associate pay, which is currently only a little over 500k all in. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5765548&forum_id=2E#49208151) |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 10:52 PM Author: .,.,;,.,.,;,;., Nah it isn't that bad either. One of XO's blindspots in these discussions is it's about 10 years behind the curve in terms of realizing how fucking rich biglaw has become. Equity partners at Akin or Winston are not making less than senior associates. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5765548&forum_id=2E#49208159) |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 10:58 PM Author: klarna ((zurich is stained)) Yeah, I’d say all the v25 and a good share of v25-50 are solid, but I bet there’s a surprising number in the v50 that pay like my firm. Shit, BH is ranked in the low 60s (or they were) and are barely outside the v50 (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5765548&forum_id=2E#49208168) |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 10:58 PM Author: .,.,;,.,.,;,;., (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5765548&forum_id=2E#49208169) |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 11:01 PM Author: we are definitely claiming fraud trumpmos (oppose israel bois) is there at least better work life balance in the V50? or do these partners just work all the time? (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5765548&forum_id=2E#49208175) |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 11:03 PM Author: .,.,;,.,.,;,;., everybody works all the time in the V50 unless you've secretly found a niche or are in an ultra-specialist group. It's shit all the way down (which is why comp has become so key because people realize it's shit everywhere and wlb is a lie so may as well get as much money as possible if you're going to get fucked in the ass) (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5765548&forum_id=2E#49208181) |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 11:05 PM Author: """'"'"""'' cr. this guy gets it.
just get the money quick and get out if you want work life balance. |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 11:07 PM Author: klarna ((zurich is stained)) I honestly barely worked my last two years there and nobody noticed. I padded like shit and had like 1500-1600 hours each year. I was protected bc I was on a big rainmakers team (but my pay sucked)
Before that, I billed like 2000-2100 a year (legit work)
Because of the rainmaker running a mini firm inside the firm, my experience probably isn’t reflective of the norm. |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 11:07 PM Author: """'"'"""'' this seems like a 180 outcome. coasting for two years at pretty much any BIGLAW salary is not bad at all. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5765548&forum_id=2E#49208190) |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 11:10 PM Author: klarna ((zurich is stained)) You know what’s sick? I’m doing much better financially now but there are times I regret leaving even tho it was barely biglaw. Although I think that’s largely bc I was friends with a lot of the bros in my group. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5765548&forum_id=2E#49208196) |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 11:12 PM Author: klarna ((zurich is stained)) Also, I was spiraling and went to jail my last year in biglaw. I tried an arbitration on zoom while wearing an ankle bracelet lmao. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5765548&forum_id=2E#49208199) |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 11:17 PM Author: """'"'"""'' "Also, I was spiraling and went to jail my last year in biglaw."
LOL, what? flame? |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 11:23 PM Author: klarna ((zurich is stained)) No I poasted a lot about it. I had a bad coke problem and was a drunk. Fucked lots of whores. Left my wife for another chick. Had all kinds of dv shit with her. Trashed the apartment etc. got sober, realized what I’d done, dumped her, reconciled with wife
Gunneratttt knows me irl and has met my wife and kids. He could confirm I’m not flame. My life was a fucking wteck for a while. But honestly fun in part lol. |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 11:26 PM Author: """'"'"""'' did this shit cause any bar issues??? (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5765548&forum_id=2E#49208216) |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 11:30 PM Author: klarna ((zurich is stained)) I got an atty who handles bar stuff and without going into detail, I didn’t have to report anything. I surely came close to shit coming apart though. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5765548&forum_id=2E#49208231) |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 11:12 PM Author: we are definitely claiming fraud trumpmos (oppose israel bois) did people even notice the padding? do you think you could have padded more (to get the hours to 2000)? (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5765548&forum_id=2E#49208198) |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 11:15 PM Author: .,.,;,.,.,;,;., (managing partner of zurich's office) (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5765548&forum_id=2E#49208202) |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 11:17 PM Author: """'"'"""'' (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5765548&forum_id=2E#49208206) |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 11:17 PM Author: klarna ((zurich is stained)) (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5765548&forum_id=2E#49208208) |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 11:17 PM Author: klarna ((zurich is stained)) Nobody has ever said anything. Everyone pads a bit. But man my last year I was out of control on booze, getting arrested etc and I did maybe 400 hours of actual work. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5765548&forum_id=2E#49208207) |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 11:35 PM Author: Mainlining the $ecret Truth of the Univer$e (You = Privy to The Great Becumming™ = Welcum to The Goodie Room™) In 2017, I was maeking 260 or 270* (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5765548&forum_id=2E#49208243) |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 10:40 PM Author: """'"'"""'' WTF would BIGLAW partners have to pay taxes in all 50 states? is this weird flame? (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5765548&forum_id=2E#49208137) |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 10:44 PM Author: .,.,;,.,.,;,;., You pay taxes in all the locations where the firm operates or generates a substantial portion of its revenue in. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5765548&forum_id=2E#49208145) |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 10:48 PM Author: """'"'"""'' and most BIGLAW firms operate/generate business in ALL 50 states???
and what does this even mean, it's not like you're being double taxed, so why is this any worse than just paying income tax in one state? |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 10:50 PM Author: .,.,;,.,.,;,;., No they don't. He's just overstating it to get across the point you get fucked in the ass on taxes as a K-1 partner. If you're making $7m a year you don't care so much but if you're a non-equity partner making $500k on a K-1 lol (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5765548&forum_id=2E#49208153) |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 10:51 PM Author: """'"'"""'' How much is a 500k partner making after taxes? dont they get other benefits like putting 100k pre-tax into retirement? (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5765548&forum_id=2E#49208155) |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 10:53 PM Author: .,.,;,.,.,;,;., It varies so wildly it's hard to say but take away 35% of that to get a sense, maybe more like 40-45% in NY, CA. Things like PTET can help but you still get ass fucked. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5765548&forum_id=2E#49208161) |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 11:16 PM Author: klarna ((zurich is stained)) I think there was an extra 10% hit when I was a biglol k-1 partner.
Last year I was an equity “shareholder” at a firm that w-2s everyone. That was great. I’m a w-2 now at my current firm but will go back to k-1 in 2017 when I get made equity. I might actually turn equity down because I kinda want to go in house or become an arbitrator in 4-5 years. Not sure it’s worth dealing with the tax bullshit abd setting up a “personal corporation,” which is how my firm is set up. |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 10:45 PM Author: AZNgirl Crying as Peter Thiel rapes Scott Bessent because they are OWNERS of the firm, benchod (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5765548&forum_id=2E#49208146) |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 11:04 PM Author: klarna ((zurich is stained)) I paid taxes in 14 states and dc. All places where we had offices, except for tx and fl, and for sone reason in Minnesota even tho we had no office there.
I lived in Md and paid nyc commuter tax. |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 10:41 PM Author: AZNgirl Crying as Peter Thiel rapes Scott Bessent At firms such as DLA Piper there are partners in the shitty offices like Cleveland who prob make less than a 3rd year associate I bet (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5765548&forum_id=2E#49208140) |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 10:48 PM Author: """'"'"""'' I wonder if those partners enjoy DLA Piper (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5765548&forum_id=2E#49208150) |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 11:18 PM Author: klarna ((zurich is stained)) BH’s headquarters is in Cleveland and their lawyers get paid jack shit. Sad. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5765548&forum_id=2E#49208210) |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 10:50 PM Author: I hate being a lawyer and want to die less, actually (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5765548&forum_id=2E#49208154) |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 10:52 PM Author: """'"'"""'' flame (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5765548&forum_id=2E#49208157) |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 10:55 PM Author: ........,,,,,,......,.,.,.,,,,,,,,,, It's not "lots".
The rumor has always been that like a new income partner takes a pay cut. I would expect that 90% of the time, after 2-3 years this changes. After 5 years most of these income partners are making much more than a senior associate.
But it's a little like "boohoo" you only made $480,000 instead of $510,000 while being put on the path to make millions... |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 10:56 PM Author: .,.,;,.,.,;,;., Agree with most of this. Would modify to: "After 5 years, most of these income partners who are going to be up for equity or are otherwise highly valuable are making much more than ...." If you're seen as treading water or worse your comp will stall out. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5765548&forum_id=2E#49208163) |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 10:59 PM Author: """'"'"""'' the non-valuable ones are probably shitcanned before year 5. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5765548&forum_id=2E#49208170) |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 11:00 PM Author: .,.,;,.,.,;,;., Not so much anymore. You can keep people around for a long time if they're billing out at $1,500-$2,000 an hour even if you don't think they have the juice to be worth promoting to equity. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5765548&forum_id=2E#49208173) |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 11:02 PM Author: we are definitely claiming fraud trumpmos (oppose israel bois) sounds like glorified of counsel with a partner title (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5765548&forum_id=2E#49208176) |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 11:02 PM Author: """'"'"""'' that's exactly what income partner is IMO (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5765548&forum_id=2E#49208178) |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 11:02 PM Author: .,.,;,.,.,;,;., ding ding ding (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5765548&forum_id=2E#49208179) |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 11:03 PM Author: .,.,;,.,.,;,;., with less stability (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5765548&forum_id=2E#49208180) |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 11:04 PM Author: """'"'"""'' that's the other thing. XO seems to think that making partner is the golden ticket, but it's more dog eat dog and I bet partners wake up more worried about being voted out than the avg. mid level associate worries about being fired. the up or out shit doesn't stop at senior associate. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5765548&forum_id=2E#49208184) |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 11:06 PM Author: .,.,;,.,.,;,;., It never, ever stops. If you're a bsd partner you have to constantly fight to maintain a book. If you're an entry level equity partner you're running from de-equitization. If you're an income partner you're in the fight of your life to make equity or get shitcanned. The only solace if you make a shitload of money is you can finally create a cushion to be able to tell everyone to go fuck themselves if need be vs. you don't have that luxury as a 3rd year still paying off loans. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5765548&forum_id=2E#49208188) |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 11:10 PM Author: """'"'"""'' yeah man. all of that.
the people here are insane for nitpicking one salary vs. the other in BIGLAW. If you are already partner level and in the midst of promotion to equity it means you've already been in BIGLAW for 10 years and should easily have a million saved. at that point fuck it, last 5 more years, equity or not, get your savings higher and you can retire young.
I bet the biggest problem is the lifestyle creep whereby people never want to quit then wake up at age 60 and realize they wasted their life away in BIGLAW. |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 11:15 PM Author: .,.,;,.,.,;,;., I see exactly this happen all the time. Partners buy more houses, a big boat, get divorced, spend $50k on vacations without thinking, expensive cars, expensive hobbies, and all the while they're increasing the monthly nut they need just to keep their head above water. I suspect some of them, the psychos, don't give this a second thought because they just do it for the love of the game and the money becomes almost secondary. But to your point there's likely another group that finds themselves with golden handcuffs and they end up working all their productive years to support a lifestyle maybe they really didn't even want when they started out, then they turn 60 and think "what the fuck did I just do with the last 30 years of my life." In a way I'd rather be the psycho, at least then I don't hit retirement full of regret, even if I'm a nutcase. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5765548&forum_id=2E#49208201) |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 11:16 PM Author: """'"'"""'' this poast should be stickied on the main page as a PSA to any law students who still come here. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5765548&forum_id=2E#49208205) |
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Date: August 23rd, 2025 11:34 PM Author: .,.,...,..,.,.,:,,:,.,.,:::,....,:,..,:.:.,:.::, TBF it is their wives spending most of the money. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5765548&forum_id=2E#49208242) |