Salary increase? Forum

[Anonymous User]

I got an offer from a small firm, starting next month. Questions:

1) Do most firms increase salaries each year, and if so by how much? Or is this firm specific? It would suck if my base salary remained the same for a couple of years.

2) If there is a salary increase, do they normally occur on January 1 of the new year or once you've been an attorney for the firm for a year total?

[favabeansoup]

I got an offer from a small firm, starting next month. Questions:

1) Do most firms increase salaries each year, and if so by how much? Or is this firm specific? It would suck if my base salary remained the same for a couple of years.

2) If there is a salary increase, do they normally occur on January 1 of the new year or once you've been an attorney for the firm for a year total?

Entirely depends on firm and all firms besides biglaw firms are different.

Your salary could increase every year, not guaranteed, and by how much is up to the firm. These are appropriate questions to ask when interviewing with small firms. "How do salary increases/bonuses work". Some small firms have lower base salaries and higher bonuses based on how much you bill, others just have shit salaries and bonuses no matter how you bill.

Some firms base increased salaries on January 1, others may base it on when their fiscal year ends (which may or may not be January 1).

[jchiles]

Nobody can give you a good answer since small firms vary considerably in how they approach this. You should definitely follow up with the firm, even if it's your only option and you need to take the job it will be better to go into it with some understanding of how the process will work.

[Anonymous User]

I work at a 10 lawyer firm in a non-major market. Transactional niche boutique.

My salary has been:

50k first year; 85k second year; 110k third year.

Have also received a bonus of about 5-10k each year.

Very curious what next year will bring.

When I was hired, I was told that I would see substantial increases in salary if I proved myself hardworking & capable. I didn't have any other offers so I joined the firm.

[Anonymous User]

I work at a 10 lawyer firm in a non-major market. Transactional niche boutique.

My salary has been:

50k first year; 85k second year; 110k third year.

Have also received a bonus of about 5-10k each year.

Very curious what next year will bring.

When I was hired, I was told that I would see substantial increases in salary if I proved myself hardworking & capable. I didn't have any other offers so I joined the firm.

That's pretty awesome, I'd imagine that is pretty rare though.

[Anonymous User]

I have almost exactly same structure but we started at 60k. 6 person shop but I targeted this one because I like the atmosphere and practice area.