Crowell & Moring Shows ‘Flexibility’ in Two-Tier New Hire Scale

As law firms dangle bigger paychecks to recruit associates, Crowell & Moring is adding a twist—a two-tier compensation system based on how many hours the new hires bill.

The system pays between $205,000 and $365,000 based on 2,000 billable hours, according to an internal memo viewed by Bloomberg Law. For lawyers who bill 1,900 hours, perhaps because they want to pursue pro bono work or other interests, or spend more time with family, the range is between $185,000 and $340,000.

“We created this to give room for flexibility,” Phil Inglima, Crowell & Moring’s chair, said in an interview. “We tried ...