2015 St. Louis Market Compensation Forum

[Anonymous User]

St. Louis Market
Firms paying market: Bryan Cave, Husch Blackwell, Polsinelli, ...

Clerkship bonus: individually negotiated, ranging from $0 to below market

1st Year Base: $125,000
1st Year Bonus:____________

2nd Year Base: $130,000
2nd Year Bonus:____________

3rd Year Base: $135,000
3rd Year Bonus:____________

4th Year Base: ~$140,000-$145,000
4th Year Bonus:____________

5th Year Base: ~$145,000-$155,000
5th Year Bonus:____________

6th Year Base: ~$150,000-$165,000
6th Year Bonus:____________

My understanding is that bonuses are generally hours-based. If so, I can add different tiers above as folks post info.

(I understand that the city's not perfectly lockstep, but I think it'd be helpful to get a sense for what firms like Bryan Cave pay. If you work somewhere that you don't think is a market leader, post here anyway and I'll figure out a way to add it to the above.)

[Anonymous User]

I know at least some STL-based firms don't give clerkship bonuses - only a boost in class compensation.

[Anonymous User]

Updated to note possibly no clerkship bonus. Do you know what second year compensation is?

[Anonymous User]

Also may be helpful if you went non-anon so people could DM. STL is a small market and for people who were SA's it'd be pretty easy to figure out who they are even posting anon.

[Anonymous User]

Also may be helpful if you went non-anon so people could DM. STL is a small market and for people who were SA's it'd be pretty easy to figure out who they are even posting anon.

Why would someone anonymously posting "Second Year salary is $135k at my firm" in the thread risk outing them any more than their PMing me (the OP) "2nd year = $135k" and me uploading that into the chart? (And I'm not sure why either would risk outing someone, although I'd like to make this work as well as possible.)

I'd encourage any poster concerned about anonymity here to post a range (for bonuses, for example) or just be pretty vague about where they work ("Bryan Cave/Husch/Thompson Coburn-type firm" for example).

[Anonymous User]

Bryan Cave told their associates that they are going to be "aggressively" raising salaries in the STL office to beat the market at all levels by the end of the year. Apparently midlevel-senior associates there were being paid less than at some other firms and associates were very upset by it.

[Anonymous User]

Bryan Cave told their associates that they are going to be "aggressively" raising salaries in the STL office to beat the market at all levels by the end of the year. Apparently midlevel-senior associates there were being paid less than at some other firms and associates were very upset by it.

Would you mind posting those salaries when the new scale is announced?

[Anonymous User]

I will second the OP, having this info. would be great.

[Anonymous User]

Bryan Cave told their associates that they are going to be "aggressively" raising salaries in the STL office to beat the market at all levels by the end of the year. Apparently midlevel-senior associates there were being paid less than at some other firms and associates were very upset by it.

I can confirm the above.

[Anonymous User]

While we're waiting, could anybody chime in on what the hours are like at the various stl firms?

[Anonymous User]

So Bryan Cave is NOT a market leader in Saint Louis Comp? I expected them to be as one of the only truly "national" firms in the market that hire more than 3 SA's.

[Anonymous User]

So Bryan Cave is NOT a market leader in Saint Louis Comp? I expected them to be as one of the only truly "national" firms in the market that hire more than 3 SA's.

So BC has always said they are at the top and I think management believed they were at least even with the top of the market, but St. Louis is a black box city without a true "scale" so it's hard to know for sure. BC associates brought evidence to firm management that they were being undercompensated relative to the market and the firm was very clear that they would act to beat the market. Hopefully it happens....

[Ken Kesey]

Look on glassdoor for the data. You'll be underwhelmed with the class raises.

[Anonymous User]

Look on glassdoor for the data. You'll be underwhelmed with the class raises.

I'm assuming you're somewhat familiar with St. Louis salaries. When you look at glassdoor for the major firms in the city, do the numbers that you see look accurate? If so, I'll update the chart with the glassdoor numbers. (In most places that I've lived and worked, glassdoor has not been accurate.)

[Anonymous User]

Any update on the potential raises mentioned earlier?

[Anonymous User]

BC junior associates now make the same base as everyone else in the market. Mid levels start to get a little more and and senior associates outpace the market. I don't think junior or mid levels are happy because the firm promised to beat the market and it didn't.

Bonuses went up significantly across the board, which is nice.

I don't know about glass door but the general rule in Stl is to add 4-7k per year to the base depending on the firm. Do not expect the scales to be as steep as the big markets.

[Anonymous User]

Anon, thanks for the info on BC. However, we still don't have a clue what "market" is in STL beyond year 1--the whole reason op made the thread. Anyway someone out there can give us some numbers?

[Anonymous User]

Anon, thanks for the info on BC. However, we still don't have a clue what "market" is in STL beyond year 1--the whole reason op made the thread. Anyway someone out there can give us some numbers?

125
130
135

[Anonymous User]

.

[Anonymous User]

Anon, thanks for the info on BC. However, we still don't have a clue what "market" is in STL beyond year 1--the whole reason op made the thread. Anyway someone out there can give us some numbers?

125
130
135

Yep. That's the high end for base salaries for years 1-3 (and is paid by Polsinelli, Bryan Cave and Husch) Some firms have 401(k) match and some do not. After third year raises are more individualized so it's harder to determine market but the band is probably around 5k to 10k per year.

Bonus structures vary by firm with Bryan Cave offering the most by far at the high end.

[Anonymous User]

Anon, thanks for the info on BC. However, we still don't have a clue what "market" is in STL beyond year 1--the whole reason op made the thread. Anyway someone out there can give us some numbers?

125
130
135

Yep. That's the high end for base salaries for years 1-3 (and is paid by Polsinelli, Bryan Cave and Husch) Some firms have 401(k) match and some do not. After third year raises are more individualized so it's harder to determine market but the band is probably around 5k to 10k per year.

Bonus structures vary by firm with Bryan Cave offering the most by far at the high end.

Thanks! Any idea roughly of what bonuses at BC (or any of these other firms) are?

[Anonymous User]

What are hours like?

[Anonymous User]

What does ranging from $0 to below market mean? Below market meaning less than 50k? What is the highest anyone has heard in terms of clerkship comp in STL? District/COA/or both?

[Anonymous User]

What does ranging from $0 to below market mean? Below market meaning less than 50k? What is the highest anyone has heard in terms of clerkship comp in STL? District/COA/or both?

I'm the OP and I made those changes. I've heard rumors of folks getting clerkship bonuses, but nothing concrete enough to put into the spreadsheet. I was told by several people at these firms, though, that getting a "market" bonus was unlikely.

[Anonymous User]

At my St. Louis firm someone in my year got a bonus of almost 2x NYC Market for our class year. Spoiler alert: This person billed a lot. It can definitely happen for the juniors/midlevels. As you get senior, you cap out around NYC Market bonuses at my firm.