Larry Bodine Law Marketing Blog

A new survey of law firm CMO salaries in three major cities shows that the average salary for CMOs is $386,294 and the median salary is $375,000. This figure is up from an average of $254,900 in 2009. Salaries in New York can go up to $750,000 and in Washington, DC, up to $650,000.

Other highlights:

• The average tenure is 6 years.
• 23.1% of respondents have been promoted with a title change in the past 2 years.
• 73.3% received a bonus AND a raise last year.
• Only 6.7% received neither bonus nor raise.
• 80.9% plan on being in legal marketing 3 years from now

Wisnik Career Enterprises, Inc. sent surveys to CMOs, Directors, and Managers at top law firms in Chicago, New York, and Washington, D.C. in June 2011. The results were generated from 94 responses.

"We believe that these salary and bonus numbers reflect the current market accurately. By this, I mean that if a firm were to call tomorrow and ask us what they needed to pay a marketing manager, we would confidently quote them the numbers in this report. We have found that the new jobs we have received since January fall into these ranges," said founder Eva Wisnik in New York. "As for the market, we have definitely seen a sharp increase in new law firm marketing positions since January and are hopeful that new opportunities will continue to grow."

CMOs can expect to put in a 55.5-hour week to earn this paycheck. Marketing directors and managers, respectively, put in 52 hours and 47 hours per week on average. As for staff size, see below for the average size of a marketing/BD department by number of lawyers. 

You can print out the survey results and should take them to your managing partner of executive director and ask for a pay raise.