Washington D.C. litigation boutique Liu Shur Kravis LLP has matched the new Milbank salary scale, effective immediately, just five months after opening its doors.
The firm, founded by three former federal prosecutors, will pay associates between $235,000 and $455,000 depending on class year.
The new compensation structure was announced in a memo sent by founding partners Jessie Liu, Justin Shur, and Jonathan Kravis to firm staff.
LSK launched in April 2026 when the three founding partners departed their respective positions at Skadden, MoloLamken, and Munger, Tolles and Olson to build something new together.
The firm is intentionally lean, partner-driven, and focused on high-stakes white-collar criminal defense, government investigations, complex civil litigation, and crisis management work.
Since launching, the firm has assembled what the memo describes as “a full docket of complex, high-stakes matters” appearing before virtually every major enforcement authority in the United States.
LSK has been actively litigating across multiple jurisdictions including Washington D.C., New York, California, and beyond in its brief existence.
The move is notable given that much of the Am Law 100 has been conspicuously slow to adopt the new Milbank scale, despite firms having hundreds of attorneys and billions in revenue.
Larger firms have been waiting, ostensibly, for Cravath to make a move before adjusting their own associate compensation structures to reflect the updated scale.
The fact that a boutique firm with only three founding partners and five months of operating history has moved faster than established giants raises pointed questions about institutional agility and competitive positioning in the legal market.
Liu, Shur, and Kravis each brought significant reputations from their prior firms, lending the new enterprise immediate credibility in the white-collar and government investigations space.
The decision to match Milbank rates signals that LSK intends to compete directly with the largest and most prestigious firms in the country for top legal talent.
For associates weighing opportunities at established institutions against newer boutiques, LSK’s rapid compensation commitment may prove a compelling differentiator in what remains a fiercely competitive legal recruitment landscape.