Lawyers’ pay unpacked

August 14, 2025

Lawyers pocketed bigger pay packets in 2025, according to the College of Law’s latest Australian Legal Salary survey.

Let’s not get the champagne out just yet.

Nearly 40% of lawyers are still not stoked with their remuneration.

Here are the numbers - and why the pay bump isn’t keeping everyone happy.

Corporates cash in, boutiques climb

Average base salaries rose 7% to $109k, up from $102k last year.

Corporate lawyers remain the best paid at $151k — no surprises there.

At the top end of town, firms like Arnold Bloch Leibler are even offering fresh graduates between $118k and $130k.

But as you climb the ranks, pay at corporate firms has slowed. The COVID hayday is truly stunted, with annual growth slowing to 4%.

A surprising contender for lawyer pay are not-for-profits / community legal centres. There, lawyers are cashing in about $114k, climbing 7%.

But, boutiques are really the growth contenders, banking a 10% jump in pay. While the base salary remains the lowest on the scale at around $97k, that gap is definitely shrinking. Despite the growth spike, only 34% of boutique-based lawyers say they’re content with their pay.

There is clearly still work to be done.

But are bonuses the move?

Bonuses grow, but most miss out

The average performance-based bonus jumped 37% to $15k.

Corporate teams again led the pack at $19k, while bonuses at boutiques surged nearly to $14k – a 50% increase. That’s likely a move to offset lower base pay as competition for talent remains tight.

But without clear expectations, the lump sum solution isn’t cutting it. Bonuses at smaller firms are tied less to personal KPIs and more to overall profitability – exactly where lawyer satisfaction is lowest.

Corporate firms, where satisfaction is highest, communicate a stronger link between performance and compensation.

Bonuses will only move the needle for those who were eligible. That means the impact is difficult to measure. Especially since bonus access is yet to budge, with only 1 in 3 lawyers across the sectors receiving one.

Pay satisfaction slips

Pay continues to rise, but packets aren’t meeting lawyers’ expectations.

43% say they're fairly compensated
38% feel dissatisfied with their pay
19% are neither here nor there

In 2025, the rem conversation has made a switch to bonuses. But with strict eligibility and misaligned expectations, bigger bonuses are likely going to lawyers already satisfied with their pay package, raising doubts on whether bonuses are actually improving overall satisfaction.

The question is: Will dissatisfaction turn into action?

For lawyers, 1 in 3 are planning a move.

And the #1 reason why?

Pay.

Access the 2025 Australian Legal Salary Survey by the College of Law.

Lawyers’ pay unpacked

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