Every time I browse this subreddit and see the salaries being paid in US BigLaw (I’m based in the EU), I can’t help but think: Wow, that’s a massive difference.
But then I start looking at the bigger picture, particularly the working hours, billable targets, and cost of living in cities like New York, and I begin to wonder whether the gap is actually as big as it initially seems.
For context, I’m a sixth-year associate at a large international law firm in the EU, earning around €140K annually. I realise that my US counterparts earn significantly more, but from what I understand, billable targets can also be up to 75% higher (I’m at 1500), and paying $3,500+ a month in rent in NYC isn’t exactly unusual (correct me if I’m wrong).
Obviously, even after accounting for these differences, US BigLaw might still come out well ahead financially. But I’m curious whether the difference in disposable is as substantial as the headline salaries suggest.
Has anyone here worked in BigLaw on both sides of the Atlantic?
Is the grass really so much greener on the other side?