Ben Thomson – The Vault Law 100 Rankings of the top law firms in the US outline the base salary details for the biglaw firms, which we have provided below, providing a ‘base outline’ of what associates can expect by way of law firm salaries with the large law firms.

We have looked at the latest law firm Vault Rankings for 2024 and now dive deeper into the payment amounts made to associates for the first seven years (apart from somewhere the information is not provided).

We have previously published details on the big law pay scale and the contrast between in-house and big law pay rates.

Earning Big at Big Law: How Vault Law Firm Rankings Help Navigate the Highest Salaries

Why The Vault Law Firm Rankings?

The Vault rankings for law firms are well-respected and widely referenced source of information in the legal industry and provide updated and accurate information on what firms are doing, paying and positioned generally. They provideinsights into the prestige and desirability of working at various law firms, often used by law students, lateral candidates, and legal industry professionals to assess potential employers and are therefore something we like to place value in when looking at pay rates for lawyers and other information.

How are the Vault rankings compiled?

Methodology: Vault’s rankings are primarily based on surveys conducted with associates working at the law firms, which ask associates to rate law firms other than their own in terms of prestige. They are also asked to rate their own firms on various quality-of-life categories like culture, compensation, hours, and training. This peer-review methodology helps ensure that the rankings reflect the perceptions and experiences of actual law firm employees.
Categories: In addition to overall prestige, Vault also ranks law firms in various practice areas and on factors like diversity, quality of life, and summer associate programs, which is highly useful information for those seeking a legal career with a particular firm. This approach also provides a more nuanced view of the firms, beyond just their market reputation.
Credibility and Reliability: Vault’s rankings are considered credible because of their extensive survey methodology and focus on insider perspectives. While no ranking system is perfect, the breadth and depth of Vault’s survey data make it a reliable resource for understanding the relative standing of law firms in the legal industry.
Comparison with Other Rankings: Vault’s rankings are one of several prominent law firm rankings, with others including the Am Law 100 (which focuses on the financial aspects of law firms, like revenue and profits per partner) and Chambers and Partners (which ranks firms and lawyers based on legal ability and client feedback). Vault’s unique focus on insider perspectives complements these other rankings by providing a different angle on law firm evaluation, centered around prestige and quality of life.
Use in the Industry: The Vault law firm rankings are widely used by law students and lawyers for career planning and by law firms as a marketing and recruitment tool. They influence perceptions in the legal industry and can impact a firm’s ability to attract top talent.

But nothing’s perfect, right? Including law firm rankings. However, like any ranking, they should be considered as one of multiple sources when evaluating law firms.

The Vault Top Law Firm Salary Levels:

Vault top law firm

Cravath Swaine & Moore
Base Salary
1st year: $215,000
2nd year: $225,000
3rd year: $250,000
4th year: $295,000
5th year: $345,000
6th year: $370,000
7th year: $400,000
Summer Associate: $4,135/week

Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz
Base Salary
1st Year: $220,000
Summer Associate: $4,230/week

Skadden
Base Salary
Base Salary (2023)

1st year: $ 215,000
2nd year: $225,000
3rd year: $250,000
4th year: $295,000
5th year: $345,000
6th year: $370,000
7th year: $400,000
8th year: $415,000
Summer Associate: $4,134.62

Latham & Watkins
Base Salary
1st year: $215,000
2nd year: $225,000
3rd year: $250,000
4th year: $295,000
5th year: $345,000
6th year: $370,000
7th year: $400,000
8th year: $415,000
9th year: $425,000
Summer Associate: $4,135/week

Sullivan & Cromwell
Base Salary
1st year: $215,000
2nd year: $225,000
3rd year: $250,000
4th year: $295,000
5th year: $345,000
6th year: $370,000
7th year: $400,000
8th year: $415,000
9th year: $415,000
Summer Associate: $8,958.34 semi-monthly

Davis Polk & Wardwell
Base Salary
1st year: $215,000
2nd year: $225,000
3rd year: $250,000
4th year: $295,000
5th year: $345,000
6th year: $370,000
7th year: $400,000
8th year: $415,000
Summer Associate: $4,134.62 per week

Kirkland & Ellis
Base Salary
Base Salary (2023)

1st year: $215,000
2nd year: $225,000
3rd year: $250,000
4th year: $295,000
5th year: $345,000
6th year: $370,000
Summer Associate: $215,000 or $8,958.34 semi-monthly

Simpson Thacher
Base Salary
1st year: $215,000
2nd year: $225,000
3rd year: $250,000
4th year: $295,000
5th year: $345,000
6th year: $370,000
7th year: $400,000
8th year: $415,000
Summer Associate: $4,134 per week

Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison
Base Salary
1st year: $215,000
2nd year: $225,000
3rd year: $250,000
4th year: $295,000
5th year: $345,000
6th year: $370,000
7th year: $400,000
8th year: $415,000
9th year: $415,000
Summer Associate: $4,135/week

Gibson Dunn
Base Salary
1st year: $215,000
Summer Associate: $4,134.62

Sidley Austin
Base Salary
1st year: $215,000
2nd year: $225,000
3rd year: $250,000
4th year: $295,000
5th year: $345,000
6th year: $370,000
7th year: $400,000
8th year: $415,000
9th year: $415,000
Summer Associate: $4,200/week

Weil Gotshal & Manges
Base Salary
1st year: $215,000
2nd year: $225,000
3rd year: $250,000
4th year: $295,000
5th year: $345,000
6th year: $370,000
7th year: $400,000
8th year: $415,000
Summer Associate: $4,135

Quinn Emanuel
Base Salary (2023)

1st year: $215,000
2nd year: $ 225,000
3rd year: $250,000
4th year: $295,000
5th year: $345,000
6th year: $370,000
7th year: $400,000
8th year: $415,000
Summer Associate: $4,135/week

Cleary Gottlieb
Base Salary
1st year: $215,000
2nd year: $225,000
3rd year: $250,000
4th year: $295,000
5th year: $345,000
6th year: $370,000
7th year: $400,000
8th year: $415,000
Summer Associate: $4,134.62/week

Covington & Burling
Base Salary (2023)

1st year: $215,000
2nd year: $225,000
3rd year: $250,000
4th year: $295,000
5th year: $345,000
6th year: $370,000
7th year: $400,000
8th year: $415,000
Summer Associate: $4,134/week

White & Case
Base Salary
1st year: $215,000
2nd year: $225,000
3rd year: $250,000
4th year: $295,000
5th year: $345,000
6th year: $370,000
7th year: $400,000
8th year: $415,000
Summer Associate: $4,150 (weekly)

Milbank
Base Salary (2023)

1st year: $215,000
2nd year: $225,000
3rd year: $250,000
4th year: $295,000
5th year: $345,000
6th year: $370,000
7th year: $400,000
8th year: $415,000
Summer Associate: $4,134/week

Debevoise & Plimpton
Base Salary
1st year: $215,000
2nd year: $225,000
3rd year: $250,000
4th year: $295,000
5th year: $345,000
6th year: $370,000
7th year: $400,000
8th year: $415,000
9th year: $425,000
Summer Associate: 2Ls $4,150/week

Ropes & Gray
Base Salary (2023)

1st year: $215,000
2nd year: $225,000
3rd year: $250,000
4th year: $295,000
5th year: $345,000
6th year: $370,000
7th year: $400,000
8th year: $415,000
9th year: $425,000
Summer Associate: $4,134.61/week

Paul Hastings
Base Salary
1st year: $215,000
2nd year: $225,000
3rd year: $250,000
4th year: $295,000
5th year: $345,000
6th year: $370,000
7th year: $400,000
8th year: $415,000
9th year: $415,000
Summer Associate: $4,134.61/week

Wilmer Hale
Base Salary (2023)

1st year: $ 215,000
2nd year: $225,000
3rd year: $250,000
4th year: $295,000
5th year: $345,000
6th year: $370,000
7th year: $400,000
8th year: $415,000
Summer Associate: $4,135.00 (weekly)

Williams & Connolly
Base Salary
1st year: $ 240,000
2nd year: $ 280,000
3rd year: $ 315,000
4th year: $ 350,000
5th year: $ 390,000
6th year: $ 415,000
7th year: $ 430,000
8th year: $ 435,000
9th year: $ 435,000
Summer Associate: $ 4,615/week

Morrison & Foerster
Base Salary
Base Salary (2023) (U.S. Associates, U.S. Practice)
1st year: $215,000
2nd year: $225,000
3rd year: $250,000
4th year: $295,000
5th year: $345,000
6th year: $370,000
7th year: $400,000
8th year: $415,000
9th year: $415,000
Summer Associate: $8,958.33 (semi-monthly)

Cooley
Base Salary
1st year: $215,000
2nd year: $225,000
3rd year: $250,000
4th year: $295,000
5th year: $345,000
6th year: $370,000
7th year: $400,000
8th year: $415,000
Summer Associate: $215,000 annualized, paid semi-monthly (approximately $4,134/week)

Jones Day
Base Salary
1st year: $225,000 / year
Summer Associate: $4326 / week

O’Melveny & Myers

Base Salary
Year 1 $215,000
Year 2 $225,000
Year 3 $250,000
Year 4 $295,000
Year 5 $345,000
Year 6 $370,000
Year 7 $400,000
Year 8 $415,000
Summer Associates $4,134/week

Goodwin

Base Salary
1st year: $215,000
2nd year: $225,000
3rd year: $250,000
4th year: $295,000
5th year: $345,000
6th year: $370,000
7th year: $400,000
8th year+: $415,000
Summer Associate: $4,135/week

Hogan Lovells

Base Salary
1st year: $215,000
2nd year: $225,000
3rd year: $250,000
4th year: $295,000
5th year: $345,000
6th year: $370,000
7th year: $400,000
8th year: $415,000
9th year: $415,000
Summer Associate: $4,135 per week

Proskauer Rose

Base Salary
Base Salary (2023)

1st year: $215,000
2nd year: $225,000
3rd year: $250,000
4th year: $295,000
5th year: $345,000
6th year: $370,000
7th year: $400,000
8th year: $415,000
9th year: $415,000
Summer Associate: $4,135/week

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld

Base Salary
1st year: $215,000
2nd year: $225,000
3rd year: $250,000
4th year: $295,000
5th year: $345,000
6th year: $370,000
7th year: $400,000
8th year: $415,000
9th year: $420,000
Summer Associate: $215,000; $4,135/week

Author – Ben Thomson writes regularly for LawFuel on big law pay rates and other matters relating to the pay rates in law and may be contacted at news@lawfuel.com