McKool Smith Matches Milbank Pay With Delayed Raise

So Weber • August 22, 2026 • 3 min read

McKool Smith matches the Milbank law firm salaries scale with a delayed raise, boosting associate pay by up to $20,000 starting January 2027.

McKool Smith Matches Milbank Pay With Delayed Raise - law firm salaries — McKool Smith Matches Milbank Pay With Delayed Raise

McKool Smith has confirmed it will match the current Milbank associate salary scale, with the new pay rates taking effect on 1 January 2027. The Texas-based complex trial firm, known for competitive associate compensation that has included Thanksgiving bonuses, strong year-end payouts, and market-matching raises, is lifting base salaries by $10,000 to $20,000 depending on class year.

The updated scale runs from $235,000 for first-year associates (Class of 2025/2026) to $455,000 for the Class of 2018 and more senior associates. The move was announced internally by Managing Principal and Chairman David Sochia. The firm has not issued a public press release, but the details align with the scale Milbank introduced in early June 2026, effective 1 July 2026.

A Delayed Start Compared to Most Matches

There is one notable difference from most matches so far: McKool Smith’s increases do not begin until 1 January 2027. That puts the firm several months behind the July 2026 effective date adopted by the majority of firms that have already matched, with associates continuing on the prior scale for the remainder of 2026. This timeline means associates will receive their first paychecks reflecting the new rates only after the calendar flips, a scheduling choice that diverges from the immediate implementation seen elsewhere in the market.

McKool Smith has a track record of responding when the market moves. The firm was among the early matchers in previous compensation cycles and has maintained a reputation for treating associates well relative to many larger Am Law firms. That history includes a willingness to act decisively when competitors adjust pay, and the firm has consistently positioned itself as a destination for litigators seeking compensation that rivals or exceeds what they might find at substantially larger organizations. The firm’s focus on complex trial work, rather than broad-based corporate practice, has allowed it to channel resources into associate pay in ways that some full-service firms have not matched.

The delay could create a small window where the firm’s associates watch peers at other boutiques collect higher paychecks first. But the commitment itself signals that McKool Smith sees the new scale as the baseline going forward, not a ceiling. Whether that patience holds through the fall compensation season remains to be seen, though the firm’s history suggests it rarely waits twice. The internal announcement, delivered by Sochia directly to associates, frames the January effective date as a deliberate administrative decision rather than a hesitation to commit, and the firm’s past behavior in similar cycles supports that interpretation.

Litigation Boutiques Lead the Compensation Season

In a compensation season still dominated by litigation boutiques rather than traditional Biglaw, the match, even on a delayed timeline, stands out. Milbank’s June announcement reset the market from the previous $225,000–$435,000 range, establishing new benchmarks for first-year associates and for the most senior classes. A number of boutiques and a smaller group of larger firms have matched or exceeded the new scale. Many traditional Biglaw names have yet to move, leaving a bifurcated market in which litigation-focused shops have taken the lead while broader firms weigh their responses.

The pattern of boutiques moving first reflects the competitive trends of lateral hiring in litigation, where top associates command premiums and firms must act quickly to retain talent. McKool Smith’s decision to match, despite the delayed start, keeps the firm in the conversation for associates considering moves during the upcoming lateral season. The firm’s compensation package has historically included elements beyond base salary, such as the Thanksgiving bonuses and year-end payouts referenced in prior reporting, which supplement the base pay and contribute to total compensation that often exceeds what associates at larger firms take home.

For associates at McKool Smith, the raises will arrive in the new year. For the rest of the market, the waiting game continues. The firm’s announcement adds another data point to a season that has already seen several prominent boutiques commit to the new scale, and it leaves traditional Biglaw firms under mounting pressure to respond before the end of the year.