Big 4 Salary Expectations w/ JD and LLM in Taxation Forum

[Anonymous User]

They must’ve raised the hours expectations since I worked at PwC. When I was there, expected utilization was 82.5%, which is like 1650 hours. I got a 2 without hitting that.

Hours at KPMG are down in M&A. It was 1650 for associates and seniors when i started, its now 1500.

To the other user about scheduling, absolutely not as shitty as biglaw, but also not a 9-6 type thing.

[hulunetflix]

They must’ve raised the hours expectations since I worked at PwC. When I was there, expected utilization was 82.5%, which is like 1650 hours. I got a 2 without hitting that.

Hours at KPMG are down in M&A. It was 1650 for associates and seniors when i started, its now 1500.

To the other user about scheduling, absolutely not as shitty as biglaw, but also not a 9-6 type thing.

Anon, do you mind private messaging me? Want to ask you a few questions. Thanks a ton!

[dcshawd]

Hey all! I just got an offer from a Big4 for the Tax Associate JD/LLM position in M&A in NYC for next year. My offer was just under 6 figures. I was wondering if this is the norm? My current job as an attorney my starting salary = 100k. I was expecting somewhere at least in the low six figures for this particular offer. Any thoughts on whether I should try to negotiate?

[Anonymous User]

Hey all! I just got an offer from a Big4 for the Tax Associate JD/LLM position in M&A in NYC for next year. My offer was just under 6 figures. I was wondering if this is the norm? My current job as an attorney my starting salary = 100k. I was expecting somewhere at least in the low six figures for this particular offer. Any thoughts on whether I should try to negotiate?

This seems low, especially for NYC. Considering you spent time + money on a tax LLM degree, I would want some boost in pay to jump ship to an accounting firm.

[notinbiglaw]

That's really low by historic standards.

That said, I know someone that got offered 105k to be a senior with 1 year experience to go to NYC EY Int Tax.

Non-zero chance they are trying to pick people up for cheap now.

[Anonymous User]

Hey all! I just got an offer from a Big4 for the Tax Associate JD/LLM position in M&A in NYC for next year. My offer was just under 6 figures. I was wondering if this is the norm? My current job as an attorney my starting salary = 100k. I was expecting somewhere at least in the low six figures for this particular offer. Any thoughts on whether I should try to negotiate?

This seems low, especially for NYC. Considering you spent time + money on a tax LLM degree, I would want some boost in pay to jump ship to an accounting firm.

I actually only have a JD and am barred and have some M&A experience, but not the LLM. Does this make a difference? This is my first encounter with anything related to Big4 so I’m just trying to make sure not getting low-balled.

[CanadianWolf]

No LLM in tax makes a significant difference.

As an aside: I'll bet that the Big4 is PwC.

If you are taking a pay cut from your previous position, then you should try to negotiate. Are you receiving a signing bonus ? One approach might be to ask for a $5,000 signing bonus for passing the bar (even though it may have been several months to a year ago & while working elsewhere).

Experience as an attorney--even if in M&A--isn't worth much to an accounting firm for M&A tax.

[Anonymous User]

No LLM in tax makes a significant difference.

As an aside: I'll bet that the Big4 is PwC.

If you are taking a pay cut from your previous position, then you should try to negotiate. Are you receiving a signing bonus ? One approach might be to ask for a $5,000 signing bonus for passing the bar (even though it may have been several months to a year ago & while working elsewhere).

Experience as an attorney--even if in M&A--isn't worth much to an accounting firm for M&A tax.

Oh okay got it. Nope they mentioned no bonus at all!

[Anonymous User]

Hey all! I just got an offer from a Big4 for the Tax Associate JD/LLM position in M&A in NYC for next year. My offer was just under 6 figures. I was wondering if this is the norm? My current job as an attorney my starting salary = 100k. I was expecting somewhere at least in the low six figures for this particular offer. Any thoughts on whether I should try to negotiate?

This seems low, especially for NYC. Considering you spent time + money on a tax LLM degree, I would want some boost in pay to jump ship to an accounting firm.

I actually only have a JD and am barred and have some M&A experience, but not the LLM. Does this make a difference? This is my first encounter with anything related to Big4 so I’m just trying to make sure not getting low-balled.

My big4, last year, was paying $125,000 + $10,000 LLM bonus for first year LLM associates and $100,000 for first year JD-only associates. The LLM makes a substantial difference.

[Anonymous User]

Hey all! I just got an offer from a Big4 for the Tax Associate JD/LLM position in M&A in NYC for next year. My offer was just under 6 figures. I was wondering if this is the norm? My current job as an attorney my starting salary = 100k. I was expecting somewhere at least in the low six figures for this particular offer. Any thoughts on whether I should try to negotiate?

JD/LLM here, just got an offer from Grant Thornton (I know this is a big 4 thread, sorry) for 85k in NYC. I was expecting higher after speaking to people. I know it's not big4, but doesn't this still seem low? LLM is from top 3 school. I'm going to try to negotiate, any advice on that is welcomed.

[Anonymous User]

Hey all! I just got an offer from a Big4 for the Tax Associate JD/LLM position in M&A in NYC for next year. My offer was just under 6 figures. I was wondering if this is the norm? My current job as an attorney my starting salary = 100k. I was expecting somewhere at least in the low six figures for this particular offer. Any thoughts on whether I should try to negotiate?

JD/LLM here, just got an offer from Grant Thornton (I know this is a big 4 thread, sorry) for 85k in NYC. I was expecting higher after speaking to people. I know it's not big4, but doesn't this still seem low? LLM is from top 3 school. I'm going to try to negotiate, any advice on that is welcomed.

That seems low to me. Granted, I worked for a Big 4 firm. But, I know that there were people with just their JDs that made more than that in my office with relatively little experience.

Is this for SALT or for federal taxes? Those groups tend to pay the least, so then it would at least make more sense. If M&A or International, I would definitely look elsewhere because that is very low for those two groups.

[Anonymous User]

Hey all! I just got an offer from a Big4 for the Tax Associate JD/LLM position in M&A in NYC for next year. My offer was just under 6 figures. I was wondering if this is the norm? My current job as an attorney my starting salary = 100k. I was expecting somewhere at least in the low six figures for this particular offer. Any thoughts on whether I should try to negotiate?

JD/LLM here, just got an offer from Grant Thornton (I know this is a big 4 thread, sorry) for 85k in NYC. I was expecting higher after speaking to people. I know it's not big4, but doesn't this still seem low? LLM is from top 3 school. I'm going to try to negotiate, any advice on that is welcomed.

That seems low to me. Granted, I worked for a Big 4 firm. But, I know that there were people with just their JDs that made more than that in my office with relatively little experience.

Is this for SALT or for federal taxes? Those groups tend to pay the least, so then it would at least make more sense. If M&A or International, I would definitely look elsewhere because that is very low for those two groups.

Hired as a general tax associate, was told I could go into M&A or International tax group. I personally want to focus on M&A so everyone I met with was M&A. Yeah, glad to know I'm not crazy in thinking this is very low. Upset because I really do like the firm, but can't accept that pay right now. It seemed to me like this was their JD salary which is why I was really taken aback.

[Anonymous User]

Was recently offered about 80k at a Big 4, NYC, JD only, tax specialty group (not M&A or ITS). Does this seem reasonable?

[Anonymous User]

Was recently offered about 80k at a Big 4, NYC, JD only, tax specialty group (not M&A or ITS). Does this seem reasonable?

I have a friend in SALT and she’s also in NYC. She gets about 80k. So, it could be the norm for that specialty.

[Radar94]

Hey all! I just got an offer from a Big4 for the Tax Associate JD/LLM position in M&A in NYC for next year. My offer was just under 6 figures. I was wondering if this is the norm? My current job as an attorney my starting salary = 100k. I was expecting somewhere at least in the low six figures for this particular offer. Any thoughts on whether I should try to negotiate?

Yes, I also got an M&A job in NYC for next fall with the Big4 and my base salary was 124K with a 15k signing bonus. You are getting screwed.

[alhookem2020]

Hey all! I just got an offer from a Big4 for the Tax Associate JD/LLM position in M&A in NYC for next year. My offer was just under 6 figures. I was wondering if this is the norm? My current job as an attorney my starting salary = 100k. I was expecting somewhere at least in the low six figures for this particular offer. Any thoughts on whether I should try to negotiate?

Yes, I also got an M&A job in NYC for next fall with the Big4 and my base salary was 124K with a 15k signing bonus. You are getting screwed.

Do you know salary with no llm, but cpa? I have big 4 audit experience and cpa and accounting masters prior to law school, but am only doing jd. Anyone have insight on whether they will offer the llm salary to me?

[Radar94]

Hey all! I just got an offer from a Big4 for the Tax Associate JD/LLM position in M&A in NYC for next year. My offer was just under 6 figures. I was wondering if this is the norm? My current job as an attorney my starting salary = 100k. I was expecting somewhere at least in the low six figures for this particular offer. Any thoughts on whether I should try to negotiate?

Yes, I also got an M&A job in NYC for next fall with the Big4 and my base salary was 124K with a 15k signing bonus. You are getting screwed.

Do you know salary with no llm, but cpa? I have big 4 audit experience and cpa and accounting masters prior to law school, but am only doing jd. Anyone have insight on whether they will offer the llm salary to me?

I don't know exactly, but from what I understand CPAs make about 30% less than JD/LLM, so I would guess a JD/CPA would be somewhere between.

[dcshawd]

Hey all! I just got an offer from a Big4 for the Tax Associate JD/LLM position in M&A in NYC for next year. My offer was just under 6 figures. I was wondering if this is the norm? My current job as an attorney my starting salary = 100k. I was expecting somewhere at least in the low six figures for this particular offer. Any thoughts on whether I should try to negotiate?

Yes, I also got an M&A job in NYC for next fall with the Big4 and my base salary was 124K with a 15k signing bonus. You are getting screwed.

really! are you a JD+LLM? or just JD?

[Anonymous User]

Hey all! I just got an offer from a Big4 for the Tax Associate JD/LLM position in M&A in NYC for next year. My offer was just under 6 figures. I was wondering if this is the norm? My current job as an attorney my starting salary = 100k. I was expecting somewhere at least in the low six figures for this particular offer. Any thoughts on whether I should try to negotiate?

Yes, I also got an M&A job in NYC for next fall with the Big4 and my base salary was 124K with a 15k signing bonus. You are getting screwed.

really! are you a JD+LLM? or just JD?

JD/LLM from one of the T4 LLM programs

[CanadianWolf]

Washington National Tax office starting salary offers ?

[BPTHEROCK]

Was recently offered about 80k at a Big 4, NYC, JD only, tax specialty group (not M&A or ITS). Does this seem reasonable?

I have a friend in SALT and she’s also in NYC. She gets about 80k. So, it could be the norm for that specialty.

This seems incredibly low, or maybe I just got lucky given my accounting background.

I just got an offer doing SALT from an accounting firm just outside the Big4 in a small market for 85k+5k signing bonus. Using a basic COL adjustment, that comes out to 187k in New York.

[Anonymous User]

I've seen offers at 150k and 140k for senior, plus signing. Dont get lowballed, markets hot this year

[CanadianWolf]

I've seen offers at 150k and 140k for senior, plus signing. Dont get lowballed, markets hot this year

Office location ?

Amount of signing bonus offered ?

Which Big 4 ?

Thanks !

[hangtime813]

I've seen offers at 150k and 140k for senior, plus signing. Dont get lowballed, markets hot this year

Holy smokes this is a big jump compared to past years.

[Anonymous User]

I've seen offers at 150k and 140k for senior, plus signing. Dont get lowballed, markets hot this year

What service line/location? I'm assuming this is NYC/DC M&A or NTS?