Associate salaries have finally crested.

• Position: Dicta - Brief article

In news that will come as little surprise, associate salaries in 2009 are "likely to be the apogee of large firm salaries for the foreseeable future," according to the National Association for Law Placement. NALP's "2009 Associate Survey Salary" found that associate salaries averaged $160,000 in many cities, including Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles and Orange County, New York, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose and Washington, D.C., stood at $160,000 as of April 1, 2009.

However, as NALP pointed out in a press release, some large firms began cutting salaries after the survey was completed and that figure may not be sustained in many markets. Overall, the survey found the median starting salary was $130,000, which ranged from $70,000 in firms of two-25 lawyers to $160,000 in firms of more than 1,000 lawyers.

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