Davis Wright Tremaine (Seattle) Salary Scale Forum

[Anonymous User]

Anybody know what their current scale is (ideally through senior class years)?

Vault says they're starting first years at $160k still, which can't be right...

[Anonymous User]

Anybody know what their current scale is (ideally through senior class years)?

Vault says they're starting first years at $160k still, which can't be right...

160K sounds right. I think K&L also starts around there. Not sure about the rest of the cohort, but Seattle is relatively cheaper than CA/NY markets and is a smaller market.

[Anonymous User]

Anybody know what their current scale is (ideally through senior class years)?

Vault says they're starting first years at $160k still, which can't be right...

160K sounds right. I think K&L also starts around there. Not sure about the rest of the cohort, but Seattle is relatively cheaper than CA/NY markets and is a smaller market.

You can have a pretty nuanced discussion about tax/take home pay and the cost of living in Seattle vs. CA and NY, but in any case there's an argument that Seattle isn't a great value proposition strictly from a biglaw income perspective (aside from just wanting to live in the PNW). For what it's worth, I have heard that DWT will match non-Seattle market biglaw salary for the first year of a lateral with the firm. Not sure if the idea is that it would be frozen in place in subsequent years, or snap back to their standard level, but at least from a lateral perspective I think there's room to negotiate salary.

[Anonymous User]

Anybody know what their current scale is (ideally through senior class years)?

Vault says they're starting first years at $160k still, which can't be right...

160K sounds right. I think K&L also starts around there. Not sure about the rest of the cohort, but Seattle is relatively cheaper than CA/NY markets and is a smaller market.

K&L Gates Seattle raised salaries to 190K this summer, which is pretty sweet given the lower COL. I'm assuming this means Perkins will move too.

[Anonymous User]

From what I hear, it seems like Amazon legal pays possibly materially more in total comp relative to local biglaw (e.g., $300k as Corporate Counsel at Amazon vs. what you'd make as a 6th year at DWT). Wonder if that's true.

[Daniwah]

https://www.law360.com/articles/1407845 ... ur-targets

[Anonymous User]

https://www.law360.com/articles/1407845 ... ur-targets

OP here. Great find -- thanks. Guess that confirms the thing about Amazon easily beating DWT on comp in Seattle.

[Anonymous User]

Anybody know what their current scale is (ideally through senior class years)?

Vault says they're starting first years at $160k still, which can't be right...

160K sounds right. I think K&L also starts around there. Not sure about the rest of the cohort, but Seattle is relatively cheaper than CA/NY markets and is a smaller market.

K&L Gates Seattle raised salaries to 190K this summer, which is pretty sweet given the lower COL. I'm assuming this means Perkins will move too.

Perkins matched DPW earlier this summer already (https://abovethelaw.com/2021/06/perkins ... aise-2021/).

[Anonymous User]

Anybody know what their current scale is (ideally through senior class years)?

Vault says they're starting first years at $160k still, which can't be right...

160K sounds right. I think K&L also starts around there. Not sure about the rest of the cohort, but Seattle is relatively cheaper than CA/NY markets and is a smaller market.

K&L Gates Seattle raised salaries to 190K this summer, which is pretty sweet given the lower COL. I'm assuming this means Perkins will move too.

Perkins matched DPW earlier this summer already (https://abovethelaw.com/2021/06/perkins ... aise-2021/).

To clarify, the absolute match was only for market-matching offices. Others had a $15k increase, which is the relative DPW increase.

[BeeTeeZ]

My firm in Seattle bumped to the $205k scale and others have as well. DWT has never paid market, even Seattle market. Historically DWT pay has been less than many regional/midlaw firms. People don't work there for the money.

[Anonymous User]

People don't work there for the money.

Weird. What are they selling then? Seems like their hours expectations are basically on par with market paying biglaw, and these pay differences are… really steep.

[Anonymous User]

My firm in Seattle bumped to the $205k scale and others have as well. DWT has never paid market, even Seattle market. Historically DWT pay has been less than many regional/midlaw firms. People don't work there for the money.

Might be helpful mentioning which firm. AFAIK, only DLA Piper Seattle matched the previous 190K market.

[Sackboy]

People don't work there for the money.

Weird. What are they selling then? Seems like their hours expectations are basically on par with market paying biglaw, and these pay differences are… really steep.

Probably the same selling point as something like McGuireWoods Chicago. People want to stay/work in Chicago, and it's the only offer they can get. For seniors, they might think they have better partnership prospects.

[BeeTeeZ]

People don't work there for the money.

Weird. What are they selling then? Seems like their hours expectations are basically on par with market paying biglaw, and these pay differences are… really steep.

Probably the same selling point as something like McGuireWoods Chicago. People want to stay/work in Chicago, and it's the only offer they can get. For seniors, they might think they have better partnership prospects.

This seems to track with DWT, except that someone with an offer from DWT probably also received offers from other top firms in Seattle. People seem to be treated well at DWT and partnership seems to be a realistic goal, at least relative to other biglaw firms.

[Anonymous User]

From what I hear, it seems like Amazon legal pays possibly materially more in total comp relative to local biglaw (e.g., $300k as Corporate Counsel at Amazon vs. what you'd make as a 6th year at DWT). Wonder if that's true.

$300k is what I was told a few years back when I interviewed there with about 6 years of experience. Wouldn't be surprised if they pay more now.