Hire your next associate attorney.
We recruit associate attorneys for mid-size and regional firms across the country, from insurance defense to corporate work. Tell us the role and the market, and within a few days you’ll have a short list of vetted candidates we’d recommend. Most searches close in about five to six weeks.
- A short list of vetted candidates within days.
- Deep litigation coverage, strongest in labor & employment, insurance defense, and commercial litigation.
- Screened on practice fit, real motivation, and courtroom experience before you meet them.
- No cost until you hire.
The associate pool behind Am Law searches
Our associate pool includes associates from Am Law 100 and 200 firms. Am Law 100 and Am Law 200 firms already recruit through us.
- Am Law 100
- firms we recruit for, several in the top half
- Am Law 200
- firms we recruit for as well
- 14,000+
- lawyers at the firms we recruit for
- 45 states
- where the attorneys we represent practice
Mid-size and regional associates report medians of about $130,000 at 3 to 4 years and $150,000 at 5 to 7 years, with commercial litigation and corporate/M&A reporting more than insurance defense. At Big Law firms, the published scale runs $235,000 for first-years to $455,000 for eighth-years.
Most of the associates we present are litigators who are open to a move now.
Associate-level attorneys (roughly zero to seven years) already in our network, by practice. Coverage is deepest in labor and employment, insurance defense, and commercial litigation, with real mid-level depth in each.
- Labor & employment
- Insurance defense
- Commercial & civil litigation
- Corporate & transactional
- Family
- Real estate
- Construction
What an associate costs by practice area and experience
These base salary ranges come from ITG's 2026 data on accepted offers and candidate compensation at mid-size and regional firms. Use the range to set your band and the typical figure to check where your offer lands. They cover base only. Bonus structure varies far more: a discretionary performance bonus is the most common one we see. Firms also combine origination, performance, and signing money, tie the bonus to holding a billable pace through the year, pay a percentage of the fees an associate generates (sometimes up to about 5 percent), or pay quarterly instead of once a year.
Pick a practice area and years of experience. The range comes from the same data as the table below.
Data as of September 2026
See the full pay table
| Practice | 1 to 2 yrs | 3 to 4 yrs | 5 to 7 yrs | 8 to 14 yrs | 15+ yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insurance defense | $115K to $140K typical $130K | $125K to $170K typical $150K | $120K to $190K typical $150K | $135K to $215K typical $175K | $150K to $225K typical $200K |
| Commercial & civil litigation | $110K to $150K typical $135K | $110K to $170K typical $150K | $125K to $185K typical $150K | $125K to $180K typical $150K | $120K to $200K typical $155K |
| Labor & employment | $120K to $150K typical $135K | $115K to $170K typical $140K | $120K to $175K typical $150K | $140K to $240K typical $175K | $160K to $300K typical $200K |
| Corporate & transactional | $130K to $200K typical $155K | $100K to $180K typical $140K | $125K to $215K typical $180K | $130K to $205K typical $175K | $100K to $275K typical $165K |
| Real estate (directional, smaller sample) | $100K to $120K typical $105K | $100K to $175K typical $155K | $115K to $160K typical $150K | $150K to $160K typical $150K | $100K to $350K |
| Personal injury (plaintiff) | $100K to $140K typical $120K | $115K to $175K typical $125K | $130K to $180K typical $150K | $135K to $200K typical $170K | $150K to $250K typical $180K |
| Family law | $95K to $130K typical $100K | $100K to $150K typical $100K | $100K to $150K typical $120K | $115K to $160K typical $140K | n/a |
- * Directional: a smaller sample than the other rows.
- Commercial & civil litigation: Commercial litigation pay levels off after about year five unless the attorney moves to a larger firm, where senior associates and of counsel can reach $240K to $310K.
- Corporate & transactional: The 15+ year corporate band is directional.
- Real estate: Senior real estate of counsel and partners often sit at $275K and above. That's why the 15+ band runs so wide.
- Personal injury (plaintiff): Base understates total pay in plaintiff work; contingency and case bonuses often add materially on top.
What the numbers say
- Pay moves up one experience band at a time. Typical insurance defense base runs about $130K at one to two years, $150K at five to seven, $175K at eight to fourteen, and $200K past fifteen.
- Candidates ask 10 to 20 percent above what regional firms pay. A one to two year insurance defense associate asks about $128K and accepts about $115K.
- Labor and employment and corporate pay the most at the junior level, and insurance defense and personal injury catch up by mid career. Family law sits lowest in every experience band.
- The seniority premium is largest in labor and employment and insurance defense, where typical base at fifteen years and up reaches $200K. It's smallest in commercial litigation, which flattens after year five.
These figures come from our own placements and candidate conversations across Florida, Georgia, Texas, California, and New York. Pay varies by market and firm, so ask us about your city and practice.
How the shortlist gets to you.
Fast without cutting corners
First vetted candidates usually reach you within days. Most associate searches close in about five to six weeks.
Screened before you meet them
We check practice fit and the real reason a candidate is looking, and for litigation roles we confirm actual courtroom experience. A large share of the associates in our network have documented trial or courtroom time.
Rooted in your market
Associate depth by metro: Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Atlanta, Tampa Bay, Los Angeles, Orlando, Houston, Dallas, and New York. Feeder schools include Florida State, Miami, Florida (Levin), Emory, Florida A&M, South Texas College of Law Houston, Georgia State, John Marshall, Georgia, Suffolk, FIU, and Nova Southeastern.
Built for the roles you’re filling
Insurance-side litigation is the busiest associate demand right now, followed by general and commercial litigation, labor and employment, and real estate. Much of that hiring is growth rather than backfill. Firms are opening larger offices, setting revenue targets they need more attorneys to hit, or rebuilding a practice group around a new direction.
Associate coverage by metro
- Miami and Fort Lauderdale
- Atlanta
- Tampa Bay
- Los Angeles
- Orlando
- Houston
- Dallas and Fort Worth
- New York
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Have a seat to fill?
Tell us the role and the market. We’ll give you a straight read on the search and get a vetted shortlist moving.