DLA Piper and Winston Taylor Match Milbank 2026 Salary Scale

Good news at DLA Piper and Winston Taylor! Both firms have announced that they will match Milbank's associate salary scale, with first-year associate salaries starting at $235,000 and senior associate salaries reaching $455,000. The increase is not retroactive to Milbank's summer 2026 salary adjustment.

Associates at DLA who exceed the firm's 2,000-hour annual requirement may qualify for additional performance-based bonuses, with enhanced payouts tied to hours worked and performance reviews.

The 2026 BigLaw associate compensation scale first increased on July 1, 2026, following Milbank's kicking off the salary increases bringing the market scale ranges from $235,000 for first-year associates to $455,000 for eighth-year associates, before bonuses.

Big Law Firms Matching 2026 Milbank Salary Scale

Matching firms include:

• McDermott Will & Emery

• Quinn Emanuel

• Hueston Hennigan

• Katten

• Vartabedian Katz Hester & Haynes

• Dunn Isaacson Rhee

• Pallas Partners

• Winston Taylor

• DLA Piper

• Sheppard Mullin

Considering a lateral move? We work with associates, counsel, and partners considering opportunities at leading law firms nationwide. Reach out for a confidential conversation about the market and potential opportunities that may fit your practice and career goals at info@counselingcounsels.com.