Taking Notice: Bloomberg, Law 360, and ATL Report on Brewer

June 15, 2023 – Major legal media outlets are taking notice of Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors announcing that starting salaries for new lawyers are being increased to $250,000. Bloomberg Law, Law360 and Above the Law all reported on the big salary news.

Bloomberg observed that the starting salary for associates now exceeds the $215,000 salary level set under the “Cravath scale” that many major law firms use.

“When you start out in a higher place, you are able to contribute more significantly to the firm, your clients and in community impact cases,” partner William Brewer told Bloomberg. “A rising tide lifts all boats, so when we increase pay at the base level, everyone benefits.”

Law360 reported that Brewer said the firm is launching “the most ambitious hiring initiative in the history of our firm.” He added that “Like all self-perceived change agents, we view ourselves differently than the BigLaw crowd.” Brewer stated, “We believe our firm occupies a unique space in the market, hiring top talent and giving them unprecedented opportunity from day one.”

Law360 also reported that as part of the hiring push, the firm hired Matthew Davis as a Dallas partner. Davis stated that he was attracted to the bet-the-business cases and advocacy that have defined the Brewer firm.

 Above the Law highlighted that the Brewer firm’s news offered a bright spot as other law firms struggle with layoffs. The article described the firm’s “generous compensation scheme.”

Texas Lawyer Report: Brewer Firm Ups Associate Salary to $250,000, Aims for Growth

June 13, 2023 –Texas Lawyer reports that, effective immediately, the Brewer firm has increased first-year associate salaries to $250,000. The firm recently announced the hiring of a new Dallas partner, Matthew H. Davis, and is in the midst of expanding its national platform – adding professionals across various sectors.

Founded in 1984, the Brewer firm has a unique staffing model in commercial litigation. The firm is comprised of several professional groups – financial and management consultants, researchers and private investigators, and public affairs strategists – who work with the firm’s lawyers to develop insights that shape case strategy. All the groups are poised for expansion in the firm’s Dallas and New York offices.

The firm continues to promote one of the most aggressive partnership tracks in the nation. Associates who join Brewer are eligible to be promoted to partner after five years.

Brewer told Texas Lawyer, “We are looking for people who want to get out, have a great career, get involved in exciting things…down at the courthouse.”

Speaking of the firm’s hiring initiative, Davis said, “The idea is to expand the Dallas office and really push to grow the association head count. Our intent is to train them and have them stay at the firm through partnership. We plan to be very aggressive in recruiting.”

Industry Takes Notice: Brewer Increases First-Year Associate Salaries to $235,000, Announces Increases for Other Professionals

February 15, 2022 – The Brewer firm today announced that, effective February 1, 2022, first-year associate salaries increased to $235,000. Also, the firm announced that many other lawyers, consultants, and other professionals will receive salary increases, based on merit and tenure. Adjustments in the firm’s compensation model are designed to benefit professionals at all levels of the organization.

Founded in 1984, the Brewer firm has a unique staffing model in commercial litigation. The firm is comprised of several professional groups – financial and management consultants, researchers & private investigators, and public affairs strategists – who work with the firm’s lawyers to develop insights that shape case strategy. All the groups are poised for expansion in the firm’s Dallas and New York offices.

In a communication to firm employees, firm partner William A. Brewer III congratulated staff members for their “unwavering commitment to winning.” He wrote, in the face of the pandemic, “we remain defined by our expertise – and the manner in which it positions us to handle our clients’ most important legal matters. We remain inspired by the firm’s core mission: advocacy at the highest level imaginable.”

The firm enjoyed a stellar 2021, handling a wide range of legal and regulatory matters for the National Rifle Association of America (NRA), advancing a closely followed case against Virgin Hotels in San Francisco, and advocating against Uber in a rider safety case that has captured national headlines. It has trials scheduled in San Francisco, Dallas, New York and elsewhere over the next three months.

Outside of its commercial litigation docket, the firm continues to actively promote its community legal affiliate, the Brewer Storefront, and the Brewer Foundation. This past year marked the 20-year anniversary of the Brewer Foundation Future Leaders Program, which lights a path to college for urban youth, and the Brewer / NYU International Public Policy Forum (IPPF). The IPPF is the first global debate contest that offers high school students the opportunity to participate in written scholarship and oral advocacy on public policy issues.

“The firm has always been defined by a culture of service,” Brewer says. “It is a privilege to work with clients and to help effect change in the community.”

Legal industry outlet Above the Law reported on the salary increase in an article titled, “Elite Firm Shrugs at Milbank Scale, Instead Offers Starting Salaries of $235K – Extremely exciting news!” The article noted that boutique firms are unveiling their generous compensation schemes, and added that the Brewer firm “blew right past” the $215K salary scale. The article added that the Brewer firm “has paid salaries at or above market for years…”

Brewer Firm Featured in Law360 Reporting: Competing With Big Law

On July 12, 2021, Law360 highlighted Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors as among a group of leading boutique law firms who compete with Big Law. The article, “How Boutique Firms Kept In Front of The BigLaw Salary War,” explores how boutiques compete for top talent through compensation and professional opportunity.

The article mentions that Brewer raised salaries in June for first-year starting associates to $205,000 – and also increased pay for other lawyers, consultants and professionals at the firm.

"We aim to keep our salaries commensurate with the demands on the professionals, which is at the highest level," Brewer Partner William Brewer told Law360. He added that that the firm employs many in-house business professionals, including consulting experts, investigators and communications specialists.

"We don't wait till the end of the day to figure out what the experts are going to say about cases," Brewer said. "We have those professionals in-house to start thinking through those issues that are typically only handled by outside consultants or experts."

Brewer added that this means young lawyers can “be the captain on a case” early on in their career.

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