One other Boutique Agency Emerges – And This One Is Paying Above The Cravath Scale

The exodus of Biglaw heavyweights into the boutique enviornment rolls on, with Brown Rudnick’s prime litigators main the cost this time.

Michael Bowe and Lauren Tabaksblat, previously co-chairs of the Am Regulation 200 agency’s litigation observe, introduced earlier this week the opening of Brithem LLP, a New York-based agency devoted solely to high-stakes courtroom advocacy. At launch, Brithem has 13 professionals — together with 9 legal professionals, two investigators, and two paraprofessionals — and expects to succeed in no less than 20 attorneys by the primary quarter of 2026. Early hires embrace a former Supreme Courtroom clerk becoming a member of as of counsel and two Quinn Emanuel alumni stepping in as companions.

Bowe and Tabaksblat hope to make a huge impact with their new influence litigation agency, and Bowe has been fairly direct about what differentiates Brithem from the agency he and Tabaksblat left behind. “[Biglaw] is drunk on leverage and billables that ship little bang for the buck,” he mentioned. “Good customers of authorized companies know higher, need an alternate, and love supporting a agency that can also be closely dedicated to combating youngster abuse, human trafficking, discrimination, and different injustices.”

Maybe probably the most putting particulars of the this new boutique is its compensation mannequin. The agency can pay above the Cravath scale, and in a pointy departure from Biglaw lockstep, associates is not going to be slotted strictly by class 12 months. Bowe explains what which means:

“We’re paying above the Cravath scale and should not rating by class 12 months. If you’re performing above your class degree that’s the place you receives a commission. Beneath you receives a commission there. You’ll be able to go up after down for those who get there. And it’s based mostly on efficiency and ability worth not billables. We wish a system that rewards associates who exhibit the need to develop into autonomous first-chair legal professionals. We’re satisfied this may lead to a product purchasers will flock to.”

That merit-based method is designed to speed up the event of younger trial legal professionals — a message bolstered by Tabaksblat, whom Chambers sources have mentioned “instructions the courtroom.” She famous that Brithem’s construction “affords a quick monitor” to changing into a reliable trial lawyer and has already attracted important curiosity from bold associates. Tabaksblat went on to share what litigators will actually love in regards to the agency:

“Brithem is dedicated to the artwork of trial lawyering and utilizing that artwork to make a distinction. Our identify will not be on the door as a result of the agency is about our purchasers, not us. Our past love is being courtroom advocates who ship outcomes for purchasers and make a distinction.”  

By pairing premium affiliate pay with a quick monitor to the courtroom, Brithem is positioning itself as each a client-focused various and proving floor for the subsequent era of trial legal professionals.

Staci Zaretsky is the managing editor of Above the Regulation, the place she’s labored since 2011. She’d love to listen to from you, so please be happy to e-mail her with any ideas, questions, feedback, or critiques. You’ll be able to observe her on Bluesky, X/Twitter, and Threads, or join together with her on LinkedIn.