Atlanta has long been recognized as the business center of the Southeast and the largest legal market in the region, attracting top legal talent but the one thing that held some candidates back from considering Atlanta was that the 1st year salaries at major law firms was less than the salaries at similar firms in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Dallas, and Houston. But that gap is no more as Atlanta’s based large law firms, Alston & Bird and King & Spalding, both announced that effective June 1st, they were adopting what is known in the industry as the “Cravath Scale,” with 1st year Associates starting at $190K.

Although other AmLaw firms in Atlanta already paid the Cravath Scale, this move was a first for Atlanta based law firms and other similar Atlanta law firms are now considering whether to increase their salaries to compete with Alston and King & Spalding in attracting top tier candidates from NYC or other prestigious markets looking to move to a wonderful city with a much lower cost of living.

Those of us who call Atlanta home – already recognize the many wonderful attributes to our city: great restaurants, beautiful parks, top international airport, major sports teams, corporate headquarters of some top global brands like Delta, Coca-Cola, CNN, home of great places of higher learning: Emory, Georgia Tech, Morehouse and Spelman, and incredibly friendly residents. For those considering moving from a cramped apartment in expensive cities – you will find your dollar goes so much further in Atlanta. The cost of living in Atlanta is almost 60% and 50% less in Atlanta than Manhattan and San Francisco, respectively.

We are looking forward to welcoming you to the ATL and know that soon you will recognize what we Atlantans have known for years – Atlanta has it all!