Big Law Pay Days Are How Big Exactly?
Tom Borman, LawFuel contributing editor
A revealing snapshot popped up in ethics disclosures filed by President Trump’s latest legal nominees, spotlighting partner draws at several major Big Law firms—WilmerHale, Skadden, and Jones Day.
Such disclosures matter because they give the public valuable insight into potential conflicts of interest before these nominees officially enter key government roles.
And they help illuminate the pay packets being made to senior legal partnes at a time when big law pay is undergoing significant changes in compensation methods and tactics and when some major league law fims are paying stellar salaries to their top performers.
Among the highlights from the filings:
Brett Shumate (left) formerly a long-serving Jones Day partner nominated to head the Justice civil division drew around $2.4 million, representing prominent organizations like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Republican National Committee .
The Schumate position focuses on the DoJ’s largest litigation division and is a key role within the administration.
Shumate previously provided legal services to clients that included the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Republican National Committee and Bristol Myers Squibb.
Joseph Barloon (left) of law firm Skadden is picked to serve as deputy U.S. Trade Representative and earned about $3.6 million, with clients ranging from Exxon to PayPal and the company operating Temu.
A WilmerHale nominee’s compensation has also been disclosed, though specific figures weren’t front‑and‑center in reporting.
Jay Clayton (left) formerly of Sullivan & Cromwell, nominated as the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, was reported as having received more than $6.7 million from the law firm since the start of 2024, according to his disclosure.
Clayton was previously chair of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission during the first Trump administration.
Big Law Disclosures
These disclosures are essential for identifying potential biases before nominees assume roles in government agencies like the DOJ, USTR, or Treasury.
But they also provide an intriguing insight into big law pay and demonstrate how multimillion-dollar partner compensation underscores how deeply interwoven they are with high-stakes corporate and political clients.
The disclosures also provide conflict alerts. When nominees have earned substantial past legal fees from major clients, Senate committees must consider recusal plans or screening protocols.
