EP #42: Super Star Laterals and $20 Million Dollar Paychecks with Chris Batz and Howard Rosenberg

“This is really new territory that is going to challenge the way some of these law firms are run and how the industry responds to that going forward over the next couple of years,” says co-host Howard Rosenberg. In this episode, Howard and Chris Batz dive into the rising trend of superstar law partners landing eight-figure salaries and the major impact it’s having on firm management, client relationships, and talent acquisition.

As these high-profile lateral hires bring in up to $20 million, firms are being pushed to rethink compensation models and operations. Howard shares insights from his recent trip to London, where law firm leaders voiced mixed reactions. Some are worried about staying competitive, while others are dealing with pay scale compression, affecting both junior and senior attorneys. Could this shift spark a major overhaul in how firms operate and structure their fees?

The episode also looks at how technology, artificial intelligence, and market changes might shape the legal industry in the coming decade. Will firms adapt to these shifts, or face disruption? It’s clear the legal landscape is at a turning point.

Quotes

• “This is really new territory that is going to challenge the way some of these law firms are run and how the industry responds to that going forward over the next couple of years. I think that’s really exciting. It is what it is; it’s not going to change, but how firms deal with and respond to it is an open book.” (01:09 | Howard Rosenberg) 

• “You have these firms hiring outrageous talent, entire teams following them, and the market consolidating with specialists going to the high-rate firms, leaving these 600-plus firms holding the bag. They are now forced to make really difficult decisions. It’s amazing to see the effects of COVID, the expectations for first-year associate salaries skyrocketing—what, $215k now, I believe—and this new superstar level of talent is taking material percentage points of revenue away from firms to platforms that can truly resource them in ways others can’t even come close to. So yes, it’s absolutely changing the game.” (05:49 | Chris Batz) 

• “I’m curious what the implications will be for new attorney hires and the junior partners who are looking at the ranks and wondering, ‘Where’s my future in this firm?’ And then there’s the vision coming from the leadership team as the firm continues to evolve, with such a huge, almost moon-like presence coming into the orbit of the firm, affecting the entire ecosystem.” (07:58 | Chris Batz)

• “I think you’re going to see a whole change in the industry with technology coming on board, along with AI, talent, and pricing. All these ingredients are mixing in a way that will change the very dynamics of the industry going forward.” (11:00 | Howard Rosenberg)

Links

Connect with Howard Rosenberg:

LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hrosenberg/

Company web profile: https://www.baretzbrunelle.com/howard-rosenberg

 

Connect with Chris Batz:

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisbatz/ 

LinkedIn Company page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/columbus-street/

Columbus Street website: https://www.columbus-street.com/