Location. On top of experience, location influences salaries for lawyers. In Washington, D.C., lawyers make 30 percent more per year than the national average. For a first-year associate at a large law firm, this can mean a starting salary of $140,075 to $171,600 a year.First-year associates in Irvine, Calif., also earn higher salaries than most, averaging almost 25 percent more per year.n Washington, D.C., lawyers make 30 percent more per year than the national average. For a first-year associate at a large law firm, this can mean a starting salary of $140,075 to $171,600 a year.