Law Firm Compensation: Boutiques Match Milbank Salary Scale

While Biglaw continues to sit on the sidelines, yet another boutique has stepped up to match the Milbank salary scale. At this point, boutiques seem far more eager to pay associates the money they deserve than the country’s biggest and wealthiest firms. Biglaw may still be waiting for someone else to make the first move, but boutiques clearly have no problem leading the way. With each boutique that matches, Biglaw’s continued silence becomes a little more conspicuous. If smaller firms can find room in their budgets for market raises, what excuse do the industry’s richest firms have left? Associates are still waiting for an answer, and, perhaps even more importantly, their money. Massumi + Consoli LLP, a Los Angeles-based firm specializing in private equity and M&A deals, recently announced raises for associates. Here’s the firm’s new salary grid, which takes effect September 1, 2026, for all associates. Grounded in authoritative content and verified at every step, Protégé is the only legal AI tool that delivers work you can trust—without exception.