Atlanta Firm Holds Down Associate Pay—and Billables

A 136-lawyer Atlanta law firm is refusing to match the $145,000 annual starting salaries paid by the city’s other big firms.

In past years, Arnall Golden Gregory had always matched pay, managing partner William Kitchens told the Fulton County Daily Report. But it will keep starting pay at $130,000 in January, making it easier to keep billable hour requirements at 1,900 hours a year, he said.

"There was a concern on everybody's part that salary increases would put more pressure on billing hours, and they didn't really want to work in that kind of environment," he said.

The firm does plan to boost pay for more experienced associates so that their base salaries are comparable to those paid by market leader Alston & Bird.