Post LSAT Prep Musings: Top First Year Salaries

I thought we could take a quick break today from LSAT prep to discuss your future career prospects. Most of you are aspiring to work at a law firm after law school. I thought I could help you out by making your law firm search a little easier. I've compiled a list of the top paying law firms by starting salary. However much we'd like to deny it, money is a big motivating factor in life. It's true that money can't buy you everything. But, it sure can make a lot of life more comfortable. Now, let's take a moment from working on Logical Reasoning sections to check out some very lucrative firms that pay their associates the big bucks.

1. Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
   This is a small New York firm that still operates out of a single Manhattan office. All the founders, except for Katz, still work in the office—Wachtell and Lipton as partners, and Rosen as Of Counsel. Their first year associates are given a starting salary of $165,000, in addition to a whopping bonus that ranges from 50-100% of their entire salary.
2. Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP
   Cravath has been a preeminent firm for almost 200 years. This firm only operates out of two offices and keeps the numbers of lawyers it hires low. The firm is known for its conviction of promoting partners from within, rarely ever hiring lateral partners. Starting salary at Cravath is $160,000.
3. Sullivan & Cromwell LLP
   This firm has been ranked in AmLaw 100 since the inception of the rankings. It is well known as an "old-timer" powerhouse among associates and clients. Starting salary at Sullivan is $160,000.
4. Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meager & Flom LLP and Affiliates 
   Skadden is one of the most profitable law firms in the nation. It was the first law firm to ever reach $1 billion in annual revenue. Skadden's starting salary is $160,000.
5. Davis Polk & Wardwell
   This firm was founded in New York City over 160 years ago. It specializes in finance, having departments in capital markets, M&A, bankruptcy, and tax. Its starting salary is $160,000.
6. Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP
   Weil is known as the top bankruptcy firm in the nation. It was founded in New York in 1931 and now over looks Central Park from its Fifth Avenue office. Over half of its 21 offices are based overseas. Starting salary is $160,000.
7. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP  The founders, Simpson, Thacher and Bartlett, are all Columbia Law School graduates. The firm was founded in 1884. The firm's starting salary is $160,000.
8. Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP
   Cleary Gottlieb is an integrated global partnership. The firm's first international office opened in 1949. Cleary Gottlieb has awarded its foreign lawyers equal partnership in the firm, gaining a strong advantage in its international presence. The starting salary is $160,000.
9. Kirkland & Ellis LLP
   Kirkland has a history of defending newspapers in significant free speech and libel cases—so much so that the University of Chicago actually named its moot courtroom after Kirkland. The starting salary at Kirkland is $160,000.
10. Latham & Watkins LLP
    Latham is one of the world's largest firms. It has over 30 offices around the world. Founding partner Dana Latham was a former commissioner of the IRS. Starting salary at Latham is $160,000.

For those of you with finals coming up, I wish you the best of luck! For the rest of you, get back to your LSAT prep!

And remember, money isn't everything. Try to think on Carlos Ruiz Zafon's words, "Making money isn't hard in itself…what's hard is to earn it doing something worth devoting one's life to."

Happy Studying!