September 2022 - Big Law Salaries?

[fdsfhs]

There was a lot of talk last year about BL salaries, especially considering the increases that happened. But what about now? Do we have a sense of the grid these days for the different major cities? (I mean TO, Vancouver, Montreal, Ottawa, Calgary, ...) Also, considering increases are usually in January or February (I'm assuming that's for most firms), will 2022 calls be making the same salary as 2021 calls until that time? Thanks for your time.

Edits: I found a grid for Toronto on the other forum (130, 150, 175, ...) I'm assuming this is still correct? Anyone have the numbers for Mtl and Ottawa? Also, still wondering about that second question.

Edited September 8, 2022 by fdsfhs
Clarifications

[BlockedQuebecois]

@KOMODO set out the current Toronto grid in this post, and that thread contains information for various other cities as well: 

In Toronto, first year associates are first years for about 16 months, from September in their year of call through January in their year of call plus two (i.e. a 2021 call gets their first raise in January 2023).

In most other provinces first years are only first years until January in their year of call plus one (i.e. a 2021 call would have been promoted to second year in 2022 and will be promoted to third year in 2023). 

So if you are in Toronto, yes, 2021 calls and 2022 calls will be making the same salary for the next four months or so. 

[C_Terror]

On 9/8/2022 at 2:58 PM, BlockedQuebecois said:

@KOMODO set out the current Toronto grid in this post, and that thread contains information for various other cities as well: 

In Toronto, first year associates are first years for about 16 months, from September in their year of call through January in their year of call plus two (i.e. a 2021 call gets their first raise in January 2023).

In most other provinces first years are only first years until January in their year of call plus one (i.e. a 2021 call would have been promoted to second year in 2022 and will be promoted to third year in 2023). 

So if you are in Toronto, yes, 2021 calls and 2022 calls will be making the same salary for the next four months or so. 

On a separate but tangentially related note, I always find it misleading when people say juniors in Vancouver/Calgary make a lot less than Toronto, but never clarify that the Western cities don't have a "stub" year like Toronto has. A 1st year 2021 call right now is a 2nd year in Vancouver/Calgary, so the difference in base is not 20K, but closer to like 3-5K or something. And it kind of sucks that you're always 1 year behind. 

[Bob Jones]

On 9/8/2022 at 2:58 PM, BlockedQuebecois said:

@KOMODO set out the current Toronto grid in this post, and that thread contains information for various other cities as well: 

In Toronto, first year associates are first years for about 16 months, from September in their year of call through January in their year of call plus two (i.e. a 2021 call gets their first raise in January 2023).

In most other provinces first years are only first years until January in their year of call plus one (i.e. a 2021 call would have been promoted to second year in 2022 and will be promoted to third year in 2023). 

So if you are in Toronto, yes, 2021 calls and 2022 calls will be making the same salary for the next four months or so. 

Too bad they won’t come close to US salaries 

[Pantalaimon]

12 minutes ago, C_Terror said:

but never clarify

BQ literally just did that, though

[AllWellAndGood]

3 hours ago, Bob Jones said:

Too bad they won’t come close to US salaries 

You'd think as a junior with a good job in beautiful Vancouver I'd stop looking at US opportunities, but it's hard when the difference in exchange rate and income taxes mean that a 3Y in Boston, not even NY, makes the equivalent of 420k in Vancouver

[QueensGrad]

5 hours ago, C_Terror said:

On a separate but tangentially related note, I always find it misleading when people say juniors in Vancouver/Calgary make a lot less than Toronto, but never clarify that the Western cities don't have a "stub" year like Toronto has. A 1st year 2021 call right now is a 2nd year in Vancouver/Calgary, so the difference in base is not 20K, but closer to like 3-5K or something. And it kind of sucks that you're always 1 year behind. 

What's the bonus differential though?

[C_Terror]

22 hours ago, QueensGrad said:

What's the bonus differential though?

Honestly not sure for other firms but it's substantially similar in my firm.

[JadedBayStreetLawyer]

Google Salary Guide - ZSA Legal Recruitment.

Can confirm it is accurate for Toronto Big Law. Source: see username. 

[Bob Jones]

Long shot - does anyone know where the Management-side L&E Firms stand on current salaries in Toronto? Ie Matthews Dinsdale, Filion Wakely, Hicks, Sherrard Kuzz, etc 

[ReasonablePerson]

7 minutes ago, Bob Jones said:

Long shot - does anyone know where the Management-side L&E Firms stand on current salaries in Toronto? Ie Matthews Dinsdale, Filion Wakely, Hicks, Sherrard Kuzz, etc 

NALP has info on all of them except Matthews, and they'll probably be similar to each other

[Bob Jones]

Excellent resource but unfortunately “X provides a competitive salary” isn’t that helpful lol

[Pecan Boy]

50 minutes ago, Bob Jones said:

Excellent resource but unfortunately “X provides a competitive salary” isn’t that helpful lol

Filion's NALP says 120k for first-years. 

Edit: I see you're a lawyer, not a student. I guess this is still valuable insofar as you can assume it'll be Bay Street scale minus 10k or so

 

Edited October 17, 2022 by Pecan Boy

[Bob Jones]

1 hour ago, Pecan Boy said:

Filion's NALP says 120k for first-years. 

Edit: I see you're a lawyer, not a student. I guess this is still valuable insofar as you can assume it'll be Bay Street scale minus 10k or so

 

I saw that for Filion as well so that was my thinking too. Thanks!