Seattle Law Firms Cravath Scale: Compensation Reality Check

Dear Catherine I.,

The Seattle Compensation Landscape: Not Quite Cravath

The reality is that most established Seattle firms don't fully match Cravath scale compensation, but the gap is narrowing as the tech boom drives unprecedented demand for legal talent. While you won't find universal Cravath parity across all practice areas, the compensation story in Seattle is more nuanced than a simple regional discount.

Major Seattle firms like Perkins Coie, Davis Wright Tremaine, and Lane Powell may offer salaries below New York Cravath scale, though compensation varies significantly by firm, practice area, and experience level. The Cravath scale calculator can help you benchmark specific numbers, but compensation at Seattle firms may be below NYC levels, though this varies widely by firm and practice area.

Where Seattle Firms Do Compete on Compensation

Here's where the market intelligence gets interesting: Seattle firms are increasingly paying at or near Cravath levels for specific high-demand practice areas. Tech transactions attorneys, IP specialists, and data privacy lawyers can often command full market rates given the concentration of Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta operations in the region.

The immigration practice has become particularly lucrative, with H-1B-dependent tech employers driving consistent demand. Similarly, employment lawyers dealing with Washington's noncompete restrictions (check current law as employment regulations change frequently) and tech layoff litigation are seeing premium compensation packages.

The Total Compensation Picture

Many Seattle candidates find that the total economic package tells a different story than base salary alone. While first-year associate salaries may be below Cravath scale, the cost of living differential often makes up the gap. Washington's lack of state income tax provides an additional 5-13% effective boost compared to California or New York positions.

Bonus structures at top Seattle firms generally follow national patterns, though specifics vary by firm.

The Strategic Lateral Calculation

For lateral candidates, Seattle presents a compelling value proposition that extends beyond pure compensation metrics. The region's legal market is experiencing rapid growth, with national firms expanding their Pacific Northwest presence to serve tech clients. This creates advancement opportunities that might take longer to materialize in saturated markets like NYC or DC.

Partnership track timelines vary significantly by firm, so research specific firms' advancement policies, and the portable business development opportunities in the tech sector can be substantial for ambitious associates.

Firm-by-Firm Variations

Not all Seattle firms approach compensation identically. Regional powerhouses like Perkins Coie have, based on publicly available data, been among the more competitive in matching national salary scales for key practice areas, though compensation strategies vary across their different practice groups. Smaller but prestigious firms may offer equity partnership tracks or alternative compensation structures that aren't captured in base salary comparisons, though specifics vary widely and should be verified directly with firms.

National firms with significant Seattle operations (K&L Gates, for example) often maintain closer parity with their other offices, though they may adjust based on local market conditions.

Making the Economics Work

The compensation question in Seattle ultimately comes down to your practice area, career timeline, and personal priorities. If you're in a tech-adjacent practice with 3+ years of experience, you'll likely find competitive offers that approach national standards. For other practice areas, you're looking at a salary discount offset by quality of life and advancement opportunities.

Consider also that Seattle's legal market momentum suggests compensation trends may continue to evolve with market conditions. The region's booming fintech, cannabis law, and environmental/ESG practices are creating new premium niches that didn't exist five years ago.

Note: All compensation figures cited are approximate market estimates based on publicly available data and may vary significantly by firm, market, and individual circumstances. Verify current figures directly with firms or recruiters.