Starting salaries for law school grads jump to $235,000 at large U.S. firms

Starting base salaries for 2026 law school grads are rising at large U.S. firms after a two-year lull as the bar’s been raised to $235,000.

It comes as more clout is wielded by the biggest players as a newly released NALP report on employment and pay for the class of 2025 revealed that roughly 20% of those who are employed work at firms with at least 500 lawyers.

The salary spike started with Milbank LLP, the New York-based firm that has set the industry trend on compensation increases in recent years. Milbank in June upped base pay for the class of 2026 by $10,000 to $235,000, and several law firms across the country have followed suit.

It’s not clear if the three largest firms based in Pittsburgh are among them. Reed Smith and K&L Gates did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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