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I'm looking for data points for salaries for big law attorneys in Denver and/or Boulder as the NALP information seems a bit spotty. Any info is much appreciated!

If they are global biglaw firms, they likely pay market (Cooley, MoFo, A&P, and a few others). The firms that haven't committed to match market for all offices seem to start around 120. Bigger local/regional firms might start less than 120.

I think it's either market for biglaw satellites, Wheeler Trigg's 135k or 160k or whatever it is now, and then the usual variance with smaller and mid-sized firms.

There used to be another firm that probably would have paid close to 140k or something back in the day, but... yeah.

Thanks, all! So $120 is pretty standard? Do salaries otherwise increase in lockstep on the NY scale? (so +10 for 2nd year, +20 for 3rd year, etc.)?

denvieboco wrote:Thanks, all! So $120 is pretty standard? Do salaries otherwise increase in lockstep on the NY scale? (so +10 for 2nd year, +20 for 3rd year, etc.)?

The larger firms are mostly in the $125-$140 range now. Raises aren't close to biglaw scale - think $5-$10k/yr. Bonuses are likewise in that range for a couple/few years. Quality of life can't be beat, though!

Wheeler Trigg is at $160k now from what I last heard.

Edit: the true biglaw shops pay biglaw. Hogan, Cooley, Arnold Porter, Kilpatrick Townsend, Gibson Dunn . . . there are a few more out here.

Do hours/quality of life scale with salary? I guess I'm wondering how the more regional firms get away paying so much less than the national biglaw firms.

denvieboco wrote:Do hours/quality of life scale with salary? I guess I'm wondering how the more regional firms get away paying so much less than the national biglaw firms.

This is generally how it is everywhere. You take a big paycut for a moderate increase in quality of life. Pretty sure A LOT of biglaw associates would take 20% less work for 20% less pay without thinking twice.

A year and a half ago I had a shot at a Denver firm. $160k. Considerably less than their DC office. But yes, Denver has to be MUCH cheaper than DC.

Are there anyone who've interviewed at Wheeler Trigg? I'd love to hear about your experiences.

Does anyone know about how much a 3rd year would make in Denver at one of the more regional firms (Brownstein, Holland & Hart, etc.)?

Anonymous User wrote:Does anyone know about how much a 3rd year would make in Denver at one of the more regional firms (Brownstein, Holland & Hart, etc.)?

Brownstein starts at 135k in Denver. Not sure what a 3rd year is pulling in exactly.

denvieboco wrote:Do hours/quality of life scale with salary? I guess I'm wondering how the more regional firms get away paying so much less than the national biglaw firms.

I think most of the regional firms have lower billable requirements, for what it's worth. Think 1800 instead of 2000. But of course, your ability to keep your hours down may vary. I know quite a few folks at regional firms that work very hard.

The satellite biglaw shops in Denver, in my experience, work just bout as hard as their NYC/DC counterparts. Most big firms with satellite offices in Denver like hiring folks for their Denver office because (a) you get way more qualified applicants, as the city is very desirable for out-of-staters, and (b) office space is cheaper. Sometimes, quite a bit of the workload originates from the other offices anyway. There's not that many local clients that can afford national biglaw billing rates..

My only final note would be that, even with the rising cost of living/housing prices, you can still live pretty comfortably on ~$125K in Denver.

The hours are lower, but the hourly rates are lower too. So it’s not like you make 30% less and also work 30% less. An associate’s hourly rate in NYC might be $600, that’s definitely not the case in Denver. You still have to work to make the firm profitable.

Anyone have any data points on what a sixth year at a Denver based firm like DGS or Holland & Hart makes in base salary? I understand it is not lockstep but on an individual basis... I'm just looking for an estimate.