You probably think the top of the Biglaw pay pyramid has a Manhattan address — and historically, that’s accurate, but things are changing. According to Major, Lindsey & Africa’s 2026 Partner Compensation Survey, Silicon Valley partners reported average 2025 compensation of $2.57 million. That beats New York’s $2.47 million and puts the Valley first among all the metro areas the recruiting firm tracks.
Two years ago, it went the other way. In the 2024 survey, New York partners averaged $2.33 million and Silicon Valley partners $2.24 million. Since then, Valley partner pay is up about 15%. New York managed roughly 6%, which is less than the 10% bump in average comp across the entire Am Law 200 sample.
The medians make it clear this isn’t one guy with an OpenAI cap table skewing the numbers. The median Silicon Valley partner reported $2.3 million. The median New York partner reported $1.24 million. (The Valley’s median was already north of $2 million last time. What’s new is that the average finally caught up.)
Silicon Valley partners reported average client originations of $9.31 million, up from $5.55 million in 2024. That’s an increase of about 68% in two years, more than $3 million ahead of New York’s $5.95 million, and nearly two and a half times the survey-wide average of $3.84 million. MLA’s regression analysis found that client originations alone account for roughly 62% of the variation in partner pay.
Silicon Valley wasn’t the only big mover. Washington, D.C., came in third at $2.21 million, a 46% jump from $1.51 million. I’m sure that has nothing at all to do with every company in America needing a lawyer to explain what the federal government is doing this week. Boston went the other way, sliding from $1.80 million to $1.30 million.
The rising tide also isn’t lifting everyone. Across the full survey, average compensation rose 10% while the median rose only 3%. As usual, that means the gains piled up at the top. Equity partners averaged $2,173,075, while non-equity partners averaged $611,185, a gap that keeps raising the same uncomfortable question. MLA’s own read on the market is blunt:
For firms, it is whether they are creating more rainmakers or simply competing for the ones already made.
Right now, the rainmakers are in California, and their rates aren’t coming down anytime soon.
Earlier: Biglaw’s AI Partnership Wars Have Officially Begun
This Biglaw Leader Thinks AI May Trigger Layoffs, But Not At His Firm
Meet The $4,000/Hr Biglaw Partners
Biglaw Partners Are Making Bank, Very Satisfied With Their Pay
Are Nonequity Partners Getting A Bum Deal On Compensation?
Partners Making More Money Than Ever, But Gender Diversity Gaps Stubbornly Remain
Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, host of The Jabot podcast, and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter @Kathryn1 or Bluesky @Kathryn1
The post Biglaw’s Best-Paid Partners Now Live In Silicon Valley, Sorry Manhattan appeared first on Above the Law.
You probably think the top of the Biglaw pay pyramid has a Manhattan address — and historically, that’s accurate, but things are changing. According to Major, Lindsey & Africa’s 2026 Partner Compensation Survey, Silicon Valley partners reported average 2025 compensation of $2.57 million. That beats New York’s $2.47 million and puts the Valley first among all the metro areas the recruiting firm tracks.
Two years ago, it went the other way. In the 2024 survey, New York partners averaged $2.33 million and Silicon Valley partners $2.24 million. Since then, Valley partner pay is up about 15%. New York managed roughly 6%, which is less than the 10% bump in average comp across the entire Am Law 200 sample.
The medians make it clear this isn’t one guy with an OpenAI cap table skewing the numbers. The median Silicon Valley partner reported $2.3 million. The median New York partner reported $1.24 million. (The Valley’s median was already north of $2 million last time. What’s new is that the average finally caught up.)
Silicon Valley partners reported average client originations of $9.31 million, up from $5.55 million in 2024. That’s an increase of about 68% in two years, more than $3 million ahead of New York’s $5.95 million, and nearly two and a half times the survey-wide average of $3.84 million. MLA’s regression analysis found that client originations alone account for roughly 62% of the variation in partner pay.
Silicon Valley wasn’t the only big mover. Washington, D.C., came in third at $2.21 million, a 46% jump from $1.51 million. I’m sure that has nothing at all to do with every company in America needing a lawyer to explain what the federal government is doing this week. Boston went the other way, sliding from $1.80 million to $1.30 million.
The rising tide also isn’t lifting everyone. Across the full survey, average compensation rose 10% while the median rose only 3%. As usual, that means the gains piled up at the top. Equity partners averaged $2,173,075, while non-equity partners averaged $611,185, a gap that keeps raising the same uncomfortable question. MLA’s own read on the market is blunt:
For firms, it is whether they are creating more rainmakers or simply competing for the ones already made.
Right now, the rainmakers are in California, and their rates aren’t coming down anytime soon.
Earlier: Biglaw’s AI Partnership Wars Have Officially Begun
This Biglaw Leader Thinks AI May Trigger Layoffs, But Not At His Firm
Meet The $4,000/Hr Biglaw Partners
Biglaw Partners Are Making Bank, Very Satisfied With Their Pay
Are Nonequity Partners Getting A Bum Deal On Compensation?
Partners Making More Money Than Ever, But Gender Diversity Gaps Stubbornly Remain
Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, host of The Jabot podcast, and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter @Kathryn1 or Bluesky @Kathryn1
