Nashville Salary Scale + Bonus Forum

[Anonymous User]

So Waller matched Baker; do we have any info re: BBS/Bradley? I'd be surprised if BBS let themselves fall behind on comp.

[Anonymous User]

Bass matched. Scale is 185k for first years and 261k for 7th years - not sure where 8th years and FYPs ended up. Bradley hasn’t made a move yet.

[Anonymous User]

Bass also moved starting salary for associates in Memphis (Baker’s HQ) to $185k. Wonder if Baker will match there.

[Anonymous User]

I'm not entirely sure everyone at Waller is making $185k out of the gate...

[Anonymous User]

I'm not entirely sure everyone at Waller is making $185k out of the gate...

I'd be surprised if they moved to black box; what have you heard re: Waller's comp?

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone know how the big 4 intend to keep talent from leaving for remote market paying jobs at this point? A 7th (and possibly an 8th) year at one of the big 4 will probably make less than a 3rd year at a market paying firm after bonus.

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone know how the big 4 intend to keep talent from leaving for remote market paying jobs at this point? A 7th (and possibly an 8th) year at one of the big 4 will probably make less than a 3rd year at a market paying firm after bonus.

For seniors? Borderline guaranteed partnership. For juniors? "Telling" them they offer a better lifestyle (even if not true). Midlevels? Who knows.

[Anonymous User]

If you stay at one of the big 4, is partnership still pretty much guaranteed? From Nash and strongly considering moving back as a litigator post-clerkship.

[The Lsat Airbender]

If you stay at one of the big 4, is partnership still pretty much guaranteed? From Nash and strongly considering moving back as a litigator post-clerkship.

That's for people who are seniors now, i.e., who will be going up for partner after several years of a strong bull market. You can't project it out another 5 years.

[Anonymous User]

I'm not entirely sure everyone at Waller is making $185k out of the gate...

I'd be surprised if they moved to black box; what have you heard re: Waller's comp?

That not everyone has moved to $185k scale.

If you stay at one of the big 4, is partnership still pretty much guaranteed? From Nash and strongly considering moving back as a litigator post-clerkship.

Getting harder -- better have strong ties and a desire to build a book of business.

Bass also moved starting salary for associates in Memphis (Baker’s HQ) to $185k. Wonder if Baker will match there.

Doubt it. But if Bass went to $185k in Memphis, those attorneys are going to need to bill a fuckton of hours to keep their jobs.

[Anonymous User]

This may be a bit off topic, but given this in a Nashville forum, it seems appropriate.

Can someone provide “empirical data” for what the work-life balance is in Nashville. (I.e., how many hours do you work a week, bill a week, bill a month, etc.) I’ve always heard the big 4 referred to as “Big Law.” But I’ve also heard the expectations aren’t the same in that the hours are generally less. Asking particularly for litigation and particularly for BBS, but I’m sure litigation at any of the big 4 would be comparable.

[Anonymous User]

Have worked at both BBS and a V20. Biglaw BBS is not, but you aren't paid like it, and the hours are just long enough that you wonder if the compensation differential is worth it. People are generally really nice and partner is doable there, although not a slam dunk (especially if general corporate or general lit). Haven't worked at any of the other Big 4, but I think people at BBS work slightly harder than the others, but not by much.

[Anonymous User]

Any specificity on this? in Other words, for litigation associates at the big 4/KL, what is the 25th percentile, average, and 75th percentile yearly billables?Thanks in advance.

[Anonymous User]

Sounds like Bass, Baker and potentially Waller are at $185K for first-years. Does anyone have any info on K&L Gates? As the only "Big Law" shop in town, any sign that K&L will increase compensation at a slightly higher rate than the rest of the Big 4?

[Anonymous User]

Sounds like Bass, Baker and potentially Waller are at $185K for first-years. Does anyone have any info on K&L Gates? As the only "Big Law" shop in town, any sign that K&L will increase compensation at a slightly higher rate than the rest of the Big 4?

K&L is at $170k. It is an experiment destined for failure. The composition of K&L is 5/6 solid partners, another 3-4 attorneys with good political reputations, and the rest are hanging on. As many people have mentioned in this thread, Nashville companies tend to be fairly rate sensitive. It makes no sense for them to pay higher rates for K&L lawyers who (with a few exceptions) are lower quality than the big four. Plus K&L attorneys are going to face far greater pressure to generate revenue than the big four (in order to carry their own weight compared to revenue figures in primary markets).

[Anonymous User]

Heard one of the big 4 has told its incoming associates that they'll be starting at 195. Anyone know if this is true?

[Anonymous User]

Now that a few of the firms have extended their summer programs (Waller/BBS), does anyone know whether they allow students to split their summers?

[Anonymous User]

Now that a few of the firms have extended their summer programs (Waller/BBS), does anyone know whether they allow students to split their summers?

Summer at one of them. Put out feelers when I was considering an offer in another market, they seemed open but didn't commit.

[Anonymous User]

So, apparently H&K is looking at buying Waller? Is this the real start of the biglaw invasion of Nashville?

[Anonymous User]

So, apparently H&K is looking at buying Waller? Is this the real start of the biglaw invasion of Nashville?

I think so. Also heard rumors.

[Anonymous User]

So, apparently H&K is looking at buying Waller? Is this the real start of the biglaw invasion of Nashville?

I think so. Also heard rumors.

Someone brought it up on FB. They’re buying pieces of Waller (i.e., the profitable parts).

Apparently the mass exodus from Waller has started according to that post.

So, to answer your question, no I don’t think the big law invasion has happened.

The most interesting point will be if H&K stratifies its salary scale so that raises in Nashville are actually not that big.

[Anonymous User]

So, apparently H&K is looking at buying Waller? Is this the real start of the biglaw invasion of Nashville?

I think so. Also heard rumors.

Someone brought it up on FB. They’re buying pieces of Waller (i.e., the profitable parts).

Apparently the mass exodus from Waller has started according to that post.

So, to answer your question, no I don’t think the big law invasion has happened.

The most interesting point will be if H&K stratifies its salary scale so that raises in Nashville are actually not that big.

Any sense where the mass exodus is headed/what groups are leaving vs joining (I presume Healthcare/Regulatory, Corp Transactions, and Finance & Restructuring are going to H&K while Lit, Tax, etc are the losers)? I imagine if H&K is eyeing Waller, Bass can't be far behind.

[Anonymous User]

Bass is profitable in a way Waller is not. I wouldn't be surprised if Bass got even busier from poaching Waller clients that don't want their billable rates to go up 40-50% overnight because their old lawyer changed firms.

[Anonymous User]

Bass is profitable in a way Waller is not. I wouldn't be surprised if Bass got even busier from poaching Waller clients that don't want their billable rates to go up 40-50% overnight because their old lawyer changed firms.

Agree. Bass is the real winner here. It’ll be able to consolidate its stranglehold on a lot of TN clients.

My friend in Florida is a second year at H&K and her billing rate is around $600. She said senior associates are approaching $1000. I have friends in Nashville who said that $600 is like senior associate level billable rates. Not sure the already-heavily discounted healthcare clients will want to stomach H&K rates when Bass is going to be charging probably two-third of those rates.

[Anonymous User]

Damn, H&K/Waller merger official and to be completed this quarter. Looks at least from the outside like they're buying the whole thing, less profitable parts included. Anyone got the inside scoop?