"I took a gamble, saw a need in the industry and approached all the top firms," she said.

"And then it was cleared for use by one of the top legal firms in New York."

Young lawyers' salaries are not expected to rise sharply at the top firms.

Few were from very top firms, where unhappy associates usually fend for themselves.

They are recruited by top firms in all fields.

"I could practice law in a top firm and still be only 10 minutes from home," she says.

Most top firms allot about 1,000 square feet per partner.

Officials at the top firms said they were more than willing to have their analysts' news media activities curtailed.

Total pay at midcap companies, which are slightly smaller than the top firms, rose 40.2%.

Salazar worked for 11 years as a water and environmental lawyer with some of the top firms in the West.