Legal Career Resources

New Report Reveals Partner Compensation Trends Across Firm Sizes, Regions and Practice Areas

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By Fatima E

Posted on September 29, 2025

BCG Attorney Search has just released its much-anticipated Law Firm Partner Compensation Report (2024–2025), providing a detailed look at partner pay across firm size, geography, and practice specialization.

If you’re a partner, aspiring partner, or legal professional planning your career trajectory, this is essential reading.

Headlines You Need to Know

Average partner compensation has surged, now hovering around $1.4 million in 2025 — marking a 26% rise since 2022.
Equity partners continue to command a significant premium, with median compensation near $1.9 million, while non-equity partners average about $558,000.
Among U.S. AmLaw 100 firms, profits per equity partner (PPEP) are averaging approximately $3 million.
Leading U.S. firms are hitting exceptional figures—Kirkland & Ellis reports a PPEP of $9.25 million, with several other firms (e.g. Wachtell Lipton, Quinn Emanuel) ranging between $7M–$9M.

Large, AmLaw-tier firms offer the highest partner pay, often measured in the multi-million dollar range, thanks to deep client bases, high bill rates, and significant leverage.
Mid-size and regional firms offer more moderate compensation, with steeper variation depending on client portfolios and local market strength.
Boutique or niche practices may yield lower averages but offer upside for partners with strong client development and specialization.

Corporate/M&A remains the top-paying field, followed closely by Tax & ERISA, Litigation, IP, Energy, and Healthcare.
Labor & Employment and generalist practices tend to fall lower on the pay scale, though top performers in those areas can still exceed market averages.
Highly specialized sectors continue to command significant premiums, reflecting high client demand and complex legal work.

Geography explains large pay gaps: U.S. markets, especially New York, California, and Washington, D.C., remain compensation powerhouses.
The London and U.K. market has also seen rising benchmarks. For instance, Macfarlanes now reportedly pays full-equity partners around £3.1 million, surpassing some Magic Circle peers.
The surge in global lateral partner movement, particularly into London and Europe, reflects how compensation expectations drive cross-border competition.

Many firms are retracting from strict lockstep compensation and embracing merit-based systems tied to origination, revenue contribution, and individual performance.
In hyper-profitable practices, top partners can see compensation exceeding $20 million in a single year at elite firms—a testament to competition for origination credit and client ownership.
Still, leaders caution that overemphasis on pay can erode firm culture. Maintaining collegiality, trust, and long-term loyalty is increasingly viewed as critical.

Benchmark smartly – Don’t just compare to your region; compare by firm size and practice specialty.
Equity tiers matter – The split between equity vs. non-equity partner compensation remains vast and strategic.
Performance amplification – Originations, team leadership, and cross-selling matter more than ever.
Culture counts – High pay may attract top talent, but retaining it demands meaningful purpose, autonomy, and respect.