How does a lawyers salary increase?
Every firm does operate differently, but in a better economy, attorneys at top firms would receive raises annually along with very large bonuses (I’m talking 10k+). In order to become a partner, you need to build a book of clients. That’s very difficult. Most firms only give you handful of years to do this. If you can’t, then you’re essentially locked out of the partner track, and you’re just biding time until they sort of ask you to leave. Again, this was standard operating procedure at the very top firms that were paying 160k entry level. I assume mid-level firms like you’re asking about sort of follow the same process. Unless your firm is just suffering, I doubt you won’t receive a raise until becoming a partner. As far as I know, everyone would receive the same percentage increase based on how many years they’d been there until being shown the door after years of not being able to build a client base.
