While a traditional salary structure may proliferate 25 or more salary grades in a large law department—often, several ranges for lawyers with the same title, broadbanding reduces the number of ranges to a handful. The broader bands have wider minima and maxima than did the levels in the traditional system, with the maximum pay in a range much higher than the minimum and many more lawyers in the band.
Broadbanding gives managers in the law department more flexibility. It lets them reward more generously those lawyers who contribute the most, add competencies, take on new responsibilities – in short, those who bolster the law department. Broadbanding allows management more freedom in recognizing exceptional performance. Pay changes aren’t tied in so closely to changes in title and managing more staff. The more elastic compensation bands will support a more flexible law department.