Partners At Wachtell Earn Far More Than At Any Other Firm

Wachtell's partners make more on average than any partners at any other United States law firm, according to the 2013 AM Law 100 Survey. Quinn Emanuel partners came in second but earned just $3.5 million on average.

Wachtell, which handles complex corporate deals, has a stellar reputation among lawyers. A Vault Law survey of 12,000 associates around the U.S. in 2012 found Wachtell was America's most prestigious law firm.

Although partners at Wachtell make a lot more money than young lawyers there, associate lawyers do well too, making anywhere from $164,000 to $204,554, according to postings on the jobs website Glass Door.

(Law firms in major cities usually pay first-year associates around $160,000.)

While Wachtell's partners pulled in the most money on average, the firm itself didn't have the highest revenue. That honor went to DLA Piper, which is also the world's biggest law firm.