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Katten Matches Milbank, Senior Associates Earn $440K

6/6/2026

Summary

Katten adopts Milbank salary

Katten Muchin will adopt Milbank’s associate salary scale, paying senior associates $440,000 effective July 1 2026.
Milbank set a $235,000 associate salary on June 2 2026.
Chairman Gil Soffer said the move supports Katten’s 2030 talent-retention goals.
Katten will raise summer associate pay and retain performance bonuses.
Katten posted $912,273,000 revenue in 2025, ranking No. 66 on the Am Law 100.

Summary

Quinn Emanuel Raises

Quinn Emanuel raised London associate pay 5% to £189,000 for NQs and £373,000 for seven-year lawyers, outpacing Milbank’s U.S. scale.
Senior partner Richard East said the hikes aim to keep the firm’s top litigation talent.
Ria Karnik warned the raises could trigger a new NQ pay war and pressure senior-associate earnings.
Mishcon de Reya added a bonus scheme that can raise pay up to 30% with NQ salaries at £100,000.

History

Historical Context

In 2008, Skadden Arps launched a $180,000 first-year associate salary, igniting the first major U.S. lawyer pay escalation that reshaped recruitment. The increase represented a 30% rise, prompting rivals like Cravath, Swaine & Moore and Sullivan & Cromwell to adjust salaries, intensifying market competition. Today, Katten Muchin’s 2026 $440,000 senior-associate scale and Quinn Emanuel’s 5% London pay boost mirror that same competitive pressure across Atlantic markets. The recurring arms race threatens law-firm profit margins and forces firms worldwide to prioritize aggressive talent-retention strategies, prompting possible regulatory scrutiny.

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Katten adopts Milbank salary

Katten Muchin will adopt Milbank’s associate salary scale, paying senior associates $440,000 effective July 1 2026.
Milbank set a $235,000 associate salary on June 2 2026.
Chairman Gil Soffer said the move supports Katten’s 2030 talent-retention goals.
Katten will raise summer associate pay and retain performance bonuses.
Katten posted $912,273,000 revenue in 2025, ranking No. 66 on the Am Law 100.

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