How old is the average big law partner?

Asked by: Ms. Katlyn Torphy  |  Last update: April 2, 2025
Score: 4.8/5 (24 votes)

The average age to make a partner in a law firm, investment bank, asset management firm, or private wealth management firm is around 35 to 38 years old. However, this can vary depending on the firm and the specific specialty. For example, it may take longer to make a partner in a large law firm than in a smaller firm.

How many years to make a BigLaw partner?

Some firms do make decisions about partnership after 7 years; however, many firms have partnership tracks based on 8, 9, 10 or 11 years.

How old are most law graduates?

Although most applicants are under 25, about 1 in 5 are 30 or older and a much smaller proportion are over 40. Many older law school graduates build fulfilling second careers that draw on preexisting skills and experiences.

How old are most senior partners?

Senior Partner demographics and statistics in the US
  • There are over 13,774 senior partners currently employed in the United States.
  • 36.9% of all senior partners are women, while 63.1% are men.
  • The average senior partner age is 39 years old.

What is the average age of big law partners?

The average age to make a partner in a law firm, investment bank, asset management firm, or private wealth management firm is around 35 to 38 years old. However, this can vary depending on the firm and the specific specialty. For example, it may take longer to make a partner in a large law firm than in a smaller firm.

Big Law's Big Paychecks: Partner Compensation, Explained

27 related questions found

What is the average salary of a big law firm partner?

Over the past decade, average compensation for partners has nearly doubled to $1,411,000 in 2024, rising 26% in the last two years alone. Equity partners are earning more than three times more than non-equity partners on average. Average originations have soared to $3,476,000—a 26% increase from 2022.

What is the average age to become a partner at the Big 4?

The Big 4 accounting firms are making a strategic shift by promoting a new wave of younger partners to keep up with the dynamic changes in the industry. The average age of these partners are 33-35. Big 4 firms (EY, Deloitte, PwC, KPMG) are strategically promoting younger partners (average age 33-35).

What is the average age for a partner?

The preferred age of females is 24.8 years and the actual average age females marry is 25.3 years old (and 28.2 for males) which actually falls directly on the age where females are most fertile, however, this assumes that people are having children immediately after marrying.

Can you make a partner at 30?

They have made partner at the tender age of 30, which means it has taken them less than 10 years to make partner! Although the high flyers we support to get to partner from the top 10 firms tend to be in their mid-30s.

What's the hardest year of law school?

Law school is an academic challenge; most students agree the first year (“1L” year) is the most difficult. In part, this is because law school is taught using methods entirely different than the lecture method used in most college classrooms.

What type of lawyer makes the most money?

Patent Attorney Salary

Patent attorneys are the highest-paid type of lawyers, with an average salary of $185,351, ranging from $119,88 to $285,530. Various factors contribute to a patent attorney's average salary, including experience, firm, location, and subject matter expertise.

At what age do lawyers retire?

In some ways, retirement for lawyers is similar to retirement in any other profession — it's an end to your working life to enjoy leisure time. This usually comes later in life — around 65 or so — and may be because of desire or health reasons. But for lawyers, there's some extra work involved to retire.

Do big law partners make millions?

Average compensation for partners in larger law firms is $1.4 million, a record high that represents a 26% increase since 2022, according to a new survey by legal recruiting firm Major, Lindsey & Africa.

How much does a top BigLaw partner earn?

Partner pay has continued to escalate in 2024, according to industry observers, with the top rung of the pay scale around $20 million and even approaching $30 million annually for the biggest star laterals, firm leaders and the highest-performers within the most profitable firms.

What is the average age of a law partner?

The 45-54 bracket was the most populous age group within the partnerships of firms that participated in the survey, with non-equity partners tending to fall within the 34-45 bracket.

Is 6 years a big age gap?

Couples with an age gap of 1 to 3 years (with the man older than the woman) were the most common and had the greatest levels of satisfaction. Relationship satisfaction decreased slightly for couples with age gaps of 4 to 6 years and continued to decrease for couples with an age gap of 7 or more years.

What age should my partner be?

Dating Age Rule. The dating age rule to determining a socially acceptable age difference in partners goes something like this: half your age plus seven (40 = 20 +7 = 27) to define the minimum age of a partner and your age minus seven times two (40 = 33 * 2 = 60) to define the maximum age of a partner.

How much do Big 4 partners make first year?

The average across all partners will land right around $650k – $850k each year. Big 4 Firms – PwC, KPMG, EY, and Deloitte Partner Salaries: Years 1-5: $300k – $500k. Years 6-10: $400k – $1.3M.

What is the average age at Deloitte?

The average age of our employees is 32, and 67% of our people are millennials, craving informality and the freedom to work in their own way.

How many years to make a partner at Deloitte?

How long does it take to become a Big 4 partner. Most people take 10-15 years to become a Big 4 partner. And we are talking about working 50-70 hours a week as a standard!

How much does a partner at McKinsey make?

Total salary range for McKinsey & Company Partner

The estimated total pay range for a Partner at McKinsey & Company is $438K–$706K per year, which includes base salary and additional pay. The average Partner base salary at McKinsey & Company is $321K per year.

What percent of lawyers make a partner?

“So, over time, roughly 30 percent have eventually made partner for this group. But that doesn't mean that on any given year, 30 percent of associates are going to make partner.” Zamsky estimates that half of associates hired by small firms eventually become partners. Their average salary might be $80,000 or $90,000.