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Talking Law and Coin: A&O Shearman's Boss Ekué on Skyrocketing Lawyer Pay: 'We Haven't Peaked Yet'
Financial News' exclusive sit-down with Hervé Ekué, post-A&O's megamMerge with Shearman & Sterling.
Stella Johnson – March 19, 2025
In the limelight for the first time since A&O's big merger last year, Ekué discusses skyrocketing lawyer pay with Financial News.
The Buck Doesn't Stop Here
A&O Shearman's legal positions span from a paralegal's $61,070 annually to an associate in specialized Global Financial Markets making $435,000[1][2]. Non-lawyer roles like Working Capital Managers fall between $135,000-$160,000[4].
However, Ekué assures, "We're not at the apex yet."
Beating the Competition
While the data falls short on Ekué's views on the firm's competitive edge, insights into executive attitudes toward firm rankings or compensation comparisons with peer firms are hard to come by. Public focus primarily concentrates on publicly listed roles.
The scarcity of explicit partner-level compensation details or comparative analysis limits a concrete analysis of A&O Shearman's standing as a top-tier firm.
Benchmarking the Bruisers
Key salary benchmarks from the obtained data are:
| Role | Compensation Range ||------------|---------------------------|| Global Financial Markets Associate | $225k–$435k[2] || Intellectual Property Paralegal | Up to $290k[2] || Working Capital Manager | $135k–$160k[4] |
Despite the dearth of recent firm-wide salary announcements or comparisons to elite firms, like Cravath and Sullivan & Cromwell, one thing is certain: A&O Shearman is placing its bets high.
[1] https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/aon-salary-employee-data.htm[2] https://www.levo.com/career-advice/salary/shearman-sterling-salary/[3] https://www.golawjobs.com/salary/aon/[4] https://www.indeed.com/career/working-capital-manager-salaries
In the interview with Financial News, Hervé Ekué discusses the ongoing growth of lawyer salaries at A&O Shearman, with Global Financial Markets Associates earning between $225,000 to $435,000 per year. Despite reaching impressive heights, Ekué assures that the firm has not yet reached its peak in finance and business matters. Despite the lack of specific partner-level compensation details, it is clear that A&O Shearman is competing with top-tier firms like Cravath and Sullivan & Cromwell, as indicated by their high salary benchmarks.
