Hire corporate and M&A attorneys who can run deals independently.
We recruit corporate and finance attorneys for law firms nationwide. Most searches focus on associates with three to seven years of experience who can manage transactions independently. Firm billable targets in these searches center between 1,800 and 1,950 hours.
- Search demand centers on mid-level associates with three to seven years of transaction experience.
- Regional and mid-size base ranges run $180,000 to $360,000, below the Big Law scale.
- Firm billable hour targets in our searches sit between 1,800 and 1,950 hours.
- Contingency. Nothing is owed until an attorney starts.
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.
Mid-level corporate pay reflects a split between regional firms and Big Law scale.
Corporate and finance hiring centers on transactional attorneys handling mergers and acquisitions or commercial lending. In mid-size and regional firm searches, base pay for one to four years of experience spans $180,000 to $220,000. Associates with four to seven years earn base salaries from $200,000 to $360,000. Every posted range in these regional searches sat below the Big Law scale established in the Milbank June 2026 memo, which pays $235,000 for first-year associates and $455,000 for eighth-year associates. Mid-levels at scale-paying firms earn $270,000 to $385,000 base in years three through five.
Candidate interview data shows an overall median current base salary of $200,000 across all experience levels. Attorneys asked for a median base of $190,000 for attorneys with up to three years of experience and $262,500 for those with seven or more years. By location, candidates in New York and California report median desired base salaries of $200,000, while Texas candidates target $182,500. Annual bonuses remain discretionary at some firms, starting once billable targets are met.
| Experience | 1 to 2 yrs | 3 to 4 yrs | 5 to 7 yrs | 8 to 14 yrs | 15+ yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base range | $130K to $200K | $100K to $180K | $125K to $215K | $130K to $205K | $100K to $275K |
| Typical | $155K | $140K | $180K | $175K | $165K |
ITG search and interview data, 2026
Sub-practice specialization and independent deal management separate the strongest candidates.
Transaction experience varies widely across applicant resumes. Many applicants carry generalist corporate backgrounds or litigation experience, making exact sub-practice verification necessary. Hiring partners screen for specific mechanics in private acquisitions or SEC reporting under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. In lending searches, firms look for direct drafting experience on syndicated credit facilities and borrower-side agreements. Deal sheets should confirm whether an associate managed transaction workstreams independently or coordinated closing checklists.
Academic credentials and local bar admissions remain strict requirements for many corporate practices. Certain firms enforce class-rank cutoffs, requiring candidates in the top tenth or top half of their class. Some New York firms consider only Big Law-trained attorneys admitted to the New York bar. For partner candidates, firms evaluate portable books starting around $325,000 at regional firms and reaching $500,000 or more in New York and northern New Jersey. Verify bar admissions and transaction sheets before bringing corporate candidates to formal partner interviews.
| Corporate seat | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Mid-level M&A associate (3 to 7 years) | Look for buy-side and sell-side deals they ran themselves. Private equity deal work is the most common background in this pool. |
| Commercial finance and lending associate | Examine direct experience with secured and syndicated credit facilities, reviewing lender-side loan documents and borrower agreements. |
| Capital markets and securities associate | Verify practical knowledge of SEC compliance under the 1933 and 1934 Acts, along with public debt offerings. |
| Junior corporate associate (1 to 4 years) | Check for corporate governance drafting and diligence review, along with strong law school class standing. |
| Senior corporate counsel or of counsel (8+ years) | Seek candidates who run multi-layered transactions without supervision and manage complex client files. |
| Corporate partner with portable business | Confirm a documented portable book from $325,000 at regional firms to $500,000 or more in major commercial markets. |
Deal volume and billable hour expectations drive corporate lateral moves.
Thin deal flow and rate-driven practice slowdowns cause corporate attorneys to consider new firms. Associates also move to escape Big Law billable expectations that push well past 2,000 hours each year. Firms offering targets between 1,800 and 1,950 hours attract attorneys who want sustainable workloads. Other candidates leave mixed practices to focus entirely on transactional work, or leave isolated roles where they lack senior deal guidance. A firm with steady transaction volume can hire experienced talent by offering steady transactional work.
Offer structures must address common candidate deal-breakers directly. Associates already earning Big Law scale will not take base salary reductions unless hours or office expectations drop. Five days in office is a common deal-breaker. Hybrid showed up in Texas M&A and New York and New Jersey securities searches. For partner hires, compensation disputes center on origination formulas and the frequency of distributions. Clear bonus triggers and documented credit terms prevent lateral negotiations from stalling.
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