20 Mar Taking your legal career to the US: Key insights for Australian lawyers

Posted at 12:19h in Insights, Partners, Associates & Group Hires page by

For Australian lawyers with top-tier experience, the USA offers some of the most lucrative and career-defining opportunities in the global legal market.

Under the Cravath salary scale—the benchmark followed by many elite US law firms—first-year associates earn USD 225,000 plus bonus, rising to around USD 310,000 by the fourth year. Combined with early responsibility and exposure to complex, high-value transactions, the US market remains attractive for ambitious transactional lawyers seeking accelerated career progression.

Why US firms recruit Australian lawyers

    • Unlike most international candidates who face unpredictable immigration lotteries, Australian lawyers can be sponsored through the E-3 visa in a well-established and efficient process. As a result, US firms have long viewed Australia as a reliable source of high-quality legal talent.
    • More Australian lawyers are actively choosing the US over traditional destinations such as London or Asia. A growing number of Australians now hold senior roles—including partnership—in US firms, strengthening hiring pipelines and professional networks.

What US firms look for

    • US firms are highly selective. They typically seek Australian lawyers with:
      • Experience at top-tier or elite firms
      • Strong academic records
      • Practice areas that translate effectively into US law
      • A stable employment history
    • While firms may consider lawyers with two to seven years’ experience, the strongest demand is at the mid-level range. Firm ranking, quality of deal exposure and CV stability all materially affect competitiveness.

Why experience level matters

    • Australian lawyers moving to the US usually have their experience discounted by around two years. This reflects differences in legal education and training pathways as well as familiarity with the US legal system.
    • Despite this adjustment, compensation more than offsets any perceived seniority drop. Even a first-year associate earns the equivalent of what a top tier Special Counsel earns in Australia (before bonus).
    • The optimal entry point is typically as a third or fourth-year associate. At this level, total packages can range from approximately AUD 450,000 to AUD 570,000 — comparable to junior partner remuneration at leading Australian firms.
    • Beyond seven to eight years’ experience, relocation becomes more complex. US firms generally follow an up-or-out model, assessing lawyers for partnership around the seventh year. Senior international lawyers without US jurisdictional experience are often harder to justify economically and face higher expectations around supervision and leadership.

Where the best opportunities are

    • Australian-qualified lawyers can sit the Bar in only a limited number of states, most commonly New York, California and Texas. Firms are strict about state admission, and lawyers must usually be admitted where they practice. Moving between states can require sitting an additional Bar exam unless reciprocity applies.
    • The most transferable and sought-after practice areas include:
      • Corporate M&A
      • Private Equity
      • Debt and Leveraged Finance
      • Project Finance/Project Documents
      • Energy M&A and Energy Infrastructure
      • Energy Transition and Renewables
    • Capital markets and technology transactions are cyclical, while energy—particularly renewables—continues to drive sustained demand.

Sitting the US Bar exam

  • Most Australian lawyers relocate before sitting the Bar. Hiring firms typically cover exam and preparation costs through providers such as BARBRI. Lawyers usually start work and then take a mix of paid and unpaid leave to prepare for the February or July exam sittings.
  • The first six to twelve months can be demanding, balancing long hours, a new legal system and intensive Bar study. Some firms prefer lawyers to sit the Bar before starting, aligning commencement dates with exam cycles.
  • While not mandatory, having already passed the Bar improves marketability and reduces onboarding costs, particularly for candidates who may be marginal in other areas.
  • Academic performance is also critical. Lawyers with weaker undergraduate results may struggle unless offset by a strong US LLM and a solid employment track record.

Is a US move worth it?

  • The US is not viewed as a lifestyle move. Lawyers relocate primarily for deal exposure, prestige and accelerated learning rather than work-life balance.
  • Average billable targets sit at around 2,100 hours per year, compared with 1,450 to 1,800 hours in Australia. Weekend work is more common, although intensity varies by firm and practice group.
  • That said, international experience at a top US firm can significantly differentiate a lawyer’s CV. Many of the world’s largest transactions are governed by US law, and many global headquarters are in the US.
  • For some lawyers, the US experience lasts a few years. For others, it becomes a long-term or permanent move driven by earning potential and partnership opportunities.

With decades of experience advising on US legal careers, Marsden continues to support Australian lawyers move to the US. To find out more, contact one of our Australasian team.