AZA, Vartabedian Join National Law Firms in Raising Associate Pay   

Two Texas law firms this week have joined a half-dozen national law firms in announcing associate compensation increases of $10,000 for new and more junior lawyers and $20,000 salary jumps for more senior associates.

The pay hikes will raise compensation for first-year associates to $235,000, fourth-year lawyers to $320,000 and the base salary for eighth-year associates — the year before being up for partnership — to $445,000. With annual bonuses, many corporate law firms will pay their most senior and successful associates nearly $600,000 annually.