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I am deciding between a couple of secondary market biglaw firms in my hometown and a NYC firm that pays the usual lockstep + Cravath scale bonuses. The firms in the secondary market do not follow lockstep. I would like to know what I might earn in years two and on, as I think it could help me decide. There is not much transparency with these firms as to how pay increases work. Is it appropriate to ask them how associates' compensation typically progresses? If they give me a generic answer about it being based on performance, is it OK to press for the firmwide average for second and third years, as well as average bonus? I am sure they won't revoke my offer, but I don't want to begin a career with a bad taste in anyone's mouth. If so, should this question be posed to a partner? Recruiter?

I have asked the recruiter at a firm which pays market in TX (where there is more variation than in NY) about this and was sent a spreadsheet the next day which gave some pretty good clues. No one was mad or thought it was weird. In fact, I would be pretty suspicious if a firm thought that asking about salary was so distasteful as to remember it however many months later.

You'd be silly not to ask. That is a major component of deciding. I think if you ask in a professional manner, they will, if anything, only be impressed about your desire to think long term.

After I got an SA offer I asked everything from raises in early associate years, to what the partnership spread and anecdotal earnings were. I don't know how ballsy you can afford to be, but it worked out fine for me and the partner answered all my questions without hesitation.