A first-year lawyer would have known to do an experiment before trying this in front of the jury.

As befit a first-year lawyer, he handled mainly routine matters: wills, estates, research for more experienced litigators, low-profile divorce cases.

Because first-year lawyers at many firms make much more than judges, recruiting top talent can be difficult.

Under the new structure, first-year lawyers will make a base salary of $125,000, and with bonuses, often for working long hours, they can earn more than $150,000.

By last week, many prestigious New York firms felt compelled to follow suit and pay first-year lawyers as much as $140,000 a year before bonuses.

As first-year lawyers, these summer associates will make $145,000 a year, before bonus, and if the world is not now their oyster, it soon will be.

The bonus brings the total compensation for first-year lawyers at Sullivan & Cromwell to $160,000.

Sullivan & Cromwell announced bonuses only for first-year lawyers.

The first-year lawyers who graduated this past spring may expect as much as $76,000 per year in remuneration even before they are admitted to the bar.

At Mr. Sturc's level, considered top management, the salaries range from about $63,000 to $74,500, an amount drawn by some first-year lawyers on Wall Street.