After a comprehensive review of associate salaries firmwide, Husch Blackwell will raise the starting associate salary effective Sept. 1, for associates in eight of its cities, including Chattanooga.
“To effectively serve our great clients, we must also consistently attract and retain top talent,” said Greg Smith, CEO and managing partner of Husch Blackwell. “Towards that end, we regularly review associate salaries. Recently we determined that we needed to raise starting salaries in certain markets to assure that our compensation for associates is competitive. We have always been committed to attracting and keeping the very best talent, and these salary adjustments help to ensure our continued top performance for clients.”
The new associate starting salaries in the following eight cities will be:
Chattanooga - $95,000
Chicago, Ill. - $160,000
Kansas City, Mo. - $120,000
Memphis, Tn. - $90,000
Omaha, Ne. - $92,000
Phoenix, Az. - $120,000
St. Louis, Mo. - $120,000
Washington, D.C. - $150,000
In addition to starting salary increases, associate compensation is being evaluated firmwide, and many associates will receive market increases. Sept. 1 is also the timeframe for associates to receive merit increases, based on performance over the past year.
Husch Blackwell will welcome 16 recent law school graduates to the firm on Sept. 4.
In response to recessionary pressures, Husch Blackwell rolled back starting associate salaries in 2009 in four of its markets and froze levels in the rest.
“When the economy warranted lowering our costs in this area, we did so, as we regularly look for efficiencies and savings to keep the cost of our services to clients reasonable,” Mr. Smith said. “The time is now right to step up our commitment to top talent. We’re energized about our future, one that depends on our people, and we consider this an investment in our future.”
Husch Blackwell LLP is a full-service litigation and business law firm with 600 attorneys in locations across the United States and in London, serving clients with domestic and international operations.