Philly Firm Ponies Up More Associate $$

First they said they wouldn't, but now Philadelphia-based Cozen O'Connor is raising starting salaries for first-year associates.

The firm is upping pay from $125,000 to $135,000. This after several area firms made that jump and then recently upped the dollar amount to $145,000, according to the Legal Intelligencer (reg. req.).

Cozen O'Connor declined to increase starting salaries in March, saying that doing so would be a disservice to clients, the legal publication reported. But market changes and competition for talent changed attitudes. The pay increase is effective Jan. 1 at offices in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.