November 9, 2026 On June 2, 2026, Milbank announced the 2026 salary scale effective July 1, 2026, setting the new BigLaw base salary benchmark at $235,000 for first-year associates and $455,000 for eighth-year associates. The market still commonly calls the salary scale the Cravath scale, although Milbank now sets the current 2026 salaries for BigLaw associates. The Cravath scale still follows the BigLaw 2025 salary scale, starting associates at $225,000 to $420,000 in base p

Law Firm Hiring for November 9, 2026: Real Estate, Private Funds, Employment Litigation and Finance

November 2, 2026: This week, law firm partner moves show investment in complex commercial litigation, financial services regulation, advertising and consumer protection, and commercial real estate.

Law Firm Partner Hiring: Litigation, Private Equity and M&A, Data Privacy, Real Estate, and Regulatory

In 2026, law firm hiring has seen a rise in commercial litigation, AI and intellectual property, private credit and direct lending, data privacy and cybersecurity, corporate/M&A and private equity, labor and employment, bankruptcy and restructuring, and specialized real estate and infrastructure work. There are also newer, more specialized areas worth watching. AI and IP compliance is emerging as a distinct niche, data centers and infrastructure are creating work across sever