Several litigation and intellectual property boutiques have matched or exceeded recent pay raises initiated by large law firms, according to industry reports and firm announcements. Following a salary scale established by the firm Milbank, at least 15 boutique firms have raised first-year associate salaries to a minimum of $235,000, with some firms like Axinn increasing starting pay to $250,000.
Attorneys moving from large law firms (BigLaw) to smaller boutiques reported that salary parity allowed them to transition without financial loss while gaining earlier access to trial responsibilities, such as depositions and witness cross-examination. Boutique firm leaders, including partners at Desmarais and Glenn Agre Bergman & Fuentes, stated that smaller teams require junior associates to handle both high-level strategy and administrative tasks.
Recruiters note that while boutiques offer competitive pay and specialized experience, there are trade-offs. Darin Morgan of Major, Lindsey & Africa noted that smaller firms may have less brand recognition for future in-house moves and may experience less business stability compared to full-service legacy firms. Additionally, hours at high-paying boutiques often remain comparable to those at larger firms.