text: how much money does a managing partner make in a new york law firm?   the median profits per partner figure at america's 100 top-grossing law firms in 2003 was $792,500, up almost 9.3 percent from 2002. the average was even more astonishing: $930,700, up about 10 percent. ten years ago, million-dollar partner paydays were limited to two or three firms. no more. thirty-two of the firms on this year's chart enjoyed average profits per partner of $1 million or more, and they aren't just the usual new york and los angeles suspects. bingham mccutchen, dechert, and howrey simon arnold & white were all over $1 million for the first time, each with profitability jumps of 14 percent or more. partnership was very, very good to a lot of big-firm lawyers in 2003.  -- taken from the article referenced below.  note that these are averages for partners, generally, at these firms, not managing partners, who tend to make at the top of the scale.