NYC Lit Boutiques Forum

[Anonymous User]

How many of those firms pay at least market?

-Emery Celli (no idea-quick look at associate bios makes me think market or above market)

I'm not at ECBA but interviewed there for SA; summered at similar Section 1983-focused plaintiff's firm in NY; and now work at third plaintiff's firm in NY that hires from the same pool of people. I don't know ECBA comp details, but I would be surprised if comp there were as high as market. At many of these plaintiff's firms that do civil rights work and consider themselves to "private public interest firms," lawyers are going to these places as a higher-paying alternative to the ACLU/fed gov, not because it necessarily pays anywhere near market.

The website makes it seem like Emery has a broader practice than say, Loevy and Loevy in Chicago (who are making a fortune suing Chicago cops, and god bless them for it). Didn't realize the focus was quite so heavy on civil rights litigation. Thanks for the data point.

They certainly do, but I think it's still like 50% civil rights, and my point is just that the relevant comparison point for associate comp is more other elite civil rights firms than to "market" salaries. On this note, I can confirm that when I interviewed for SA at ECBA, pay was the same as at other top civil rights and employment boutiques in NY and at half of what Cohen Milstein paid summers. I think it's fair to say that Cohen associates are near if not top of market for plaintiff's work but still below most market biglaw firms, unless you're part of a practice group that has a very good year. Obviously SA comp doesn't necessarily track associate comp 100%, but there's another data point for you.

Edit: and would love for anyone with more knowledge than me to give us more of a sense of what they pay

Random googling produces some salary website listing 85k for an associate which sounds roughly consistent with what you described (assuming that cohen et all are paying around 100k). Thanks for expanding, and I'll also echo your sentiment-keep it coming people. MOAR DATA

[Anonymous User]

Anyone have any data on what the smaller nyc boutiques on this list (e.g., shapiro arato, levine lee) pay?