Nice that DLA is at least making it retroactive to Jan 1, unlike some cheap firms...

what kind of ghetto e-mail software do they have at MLB? Looks like a screenshot from an old Macintosh Lisa computer of something...

That would be Lotus Notes, buddy.

Ropes, why have you forsaken me.

I hate Lotus Notes.

Chuck Norris LLP was going to match, but decided that a roundhouse kick to the head of its associates was better than money.

Chuck Norris doesn't pay his associates - his associates pay him.

Has 1-800-LAWYERS matched yet?

6:43 Sounds like Ropes & Ghey is living up to its name...

A poster at Greedy Chicago is claiming that Schiff Hardin has gone to 145k first year salary.

My source at Stiff Hardon says his firm's salaries have gone up too

that is so f*cking lame. They are basically admitting that comp is arbitrary, and that they set comp only as a matter of keeping up with the market (i.e., paying the minimum possible), not because of any valuation of what we are worth to them. I know it doesn't have any practical difference, but i'd rather my firm tell me "in recognition of your efforts this past year we've increased salaries as follows" blah blah, rather than "we realize we have to give you raises since everyone else has decided to, but we are gonna wait until we find out exactly what everyone else is paying so that we can make sure we are not giving you a dime more."

just a question of spinning, but those morons have no pr skills.

Caulk Ballz & Butz has raised to $160

"we realize we have to give you raises since everyone else has decided to, but we are gonna wait until we find out exactly what everyone else is paying so that we can make sure we are not giving you a dime more."

Bravo! So true. Its like the DC-based firm saying they are paying top of the market when they are offering 145K, which is even more transparent.

On a funnier note, www.gsbarristers.com is still down

David, you mentioned being willing to put up a chart of the firms that have matched when the dust settles. Could we get a post with the updated list of matching NY firms in the meantime? I want to anonymously send it to certain people at my firm. Crediting AtL of course.;-)

Does anyone think that Ropes will be forced to go to 160 in Boston to remain competitive with Fish? Doesn't a significant part of Ropes' Boston practice compete with Fish in IP? If Ropes goes to 160, Goodwin will be in a tough spot, having to decide whether to follow Ropes or Wilmer. One would think they would follow Ropes and force Wilmer to 160 in Boston too. Thoughts?

I too would appreciate an updated list of firms who are confirmed to have matched the $160 in NY.

I miss the days of 125k...and the 145k days were way too short lived. Salaries are increasing faster than I can spend!

What about the fact that white girls with asian guys?

Hughes Hubbard matched

So who are we waiting for?

Latham & Watkins
Arnold & Porter
Heller Ehrman

Copy this and add whatever else you know so that we can create a black list

I WANT MY MONEY GDC!! YESTERDAY!

there you go!

Latham & Watkins
Arnold & Porter
Heller Ehrman
Gibson Dunn

Latham & Watkins
Arnold & Porter
Heller Ehrman
Gibson Dunn
Kirkland & Ellis
Willson Sonsini

David do you have any more memos you havent posted yet?

Let's not forget Kirkland, so

Latham & Watkins
Arnold & Porter
Heller Ehrman
Gibson Dunn
Kirkland & Ellis

"Latham & Watkins
Arnold & Porter
Heller Ehrman
Gibson Dunn
Kirkland & Ellis
Willson Sonsini"

What a bunch of TTTs.

Ropes hasn't announced yet either, have they?

is hughes hubbard confirmed?

let's have the memo from Schiff

any news on K&L Gates????

Latham & Watkins
Arnold & Porter
Heller Ehrman
Gibson Dunn
Kirkland & Ellis
Willson Sonsin
Jones Day

Latham & Watkins
Arnold & Porter
Heller Ehrman
Gibson Dunn
Kirkland & Ellis
Willson Sonsin
Jones Day
Baker & McKenzie

Jones Days Nights & Weekends, you better pony up. You don't give bonuses, and you do take nights and weekends, so make it worth my while!

Latham & Watkins
Arnold & Porter
Heller Ehrman
Gibson Dunn
Kirkland & Ellis
Willson Sonsin
Jones Day
Baker & McKenzie
Thelen Reid
K&L Gates

what's the word with perkins coie? are they going to lead the rush to $160 in the PacNW?

test

Latham & Watkins
Arnold & Porter
Heller Ehrman
Gibson Dunn
Kirkland & Ellis
Willson Sonsin
Jones Day
Baker & McKenzie
Thelen Reid
K&L Gates
Blank Rome

man that willson sonsin had better match!!!

I heard K&L went to 135 in Pittsburgh.

Latham & Watkins
Arnold & Porter
Heller Ehrman
Gibson Dunn
Kirkland & Ellis
Willson Sonsin
Jones Day
Baker & McKenzie
Thelen Reid
K&L Gates
Blank Rome
Reed Smith
Holland & Knight
McGuire Woods
Hunton & Williams
Venable

The Black List (Firms that did not raise in NY):

Latham & Watkins
Arnold & Porter
Heller Ehrman
Gibson Dunn
Kirkland & Ellis
Ropes & Gray
Willson Sonsin
Jones Day
Baker & McKenzie
Thelen Reid
K&L Gates

I got laid in Pittsburgh once (well, several times over a week long document collection trip).

Latham & Watkins
Arnold & Porter
Heller Ehrman
Gibson Dunn
Kirkland & Ellis
Willson Sonsin
Jones Day
Baker & McKenzie
Thelen Reid
K&L Gates
Blank Rome
Reed Smith
Holland & Knight
McGuire Woods
Hunton & Williams
Venable
Dickstein Shapiro

So, I'm a moron. When they make salaries retroactive to Jan 1, do you just get one huge paycheck in mid-Feb?

The Black List

Latham & Watkins
Arnold & Porter
Ropes & Gray
Heller Ehrman
Gibson Dunn
Kirkland & Ellis
Willson Sonsin
Jones Day
Baker & McKenzie
Thelen Reid
K&L Gates
Blank Rome
Reed Smith
Holland & Knight
McGuire Woods
Hunton & Williams
Venable

Latham & Watkins
Arnold & Porter
Heller Ehrman
Gibson Dunn
Kirkland & Ellis
Willson Sonsin
Jones Day
Baker & McKenzie
Thelen Reid
K&L Gates
Blank Rome
Reed Smith
Holland & Knight
McGuire Woods
Hunton & Williams
Venable
Ropes & Gray

8:12 - why did you leave off Dickstein Shapiro

So, I'm a moron. When they make salaries retroactive to Jan 1, do you just get one huge paycheck in mid-Feb?

kind of on the "huge paycheck" since it's only one month, of a 15K raise, it works out to abuot at extra $750 in your Feb 1 paycheck. or 1125 in your Feb 15 check

Confirmed 135 K&L Pittsburgh.

$160K NYC:

1) Simpson Thacher
2) Cadwalader
3) Cleary Gottlieb
4) Milbank
5) Paul Weiss
6) Sullivan & Cromwell
7) Shearman & Sterling
8) Willkie Farr
9) Quinn Emanuel
10) Fried Frank
11) Dewey Ballantine
12) O’Melveny & Myers
13) Weil Gotshal
14) Morrison & Foerster
15) Greenberg Traurig
16) Skadden Arps
17) Hogan & Hartson
18) White & Case
19) Clifford Chance
20) Kaye Scholer
21) Davis Polk
22) Proskauer Rose
23) King & Spalding
24) Thacher Proffitt
25) Allen & Overy
26) McKee Nelson
27) Debevoise & Plimpton
28) Schulte Roth & Zabel
29) DLA Piper
30) Cravath, Swaine & Moore
31) Fish & Richardson
32) Kramer Levin
33) Stroock & Stroock
34) Covington & Burling
35) LeBoeuf Lamb
36) Paul Hastings
37) Sheppard Mullin
38) Sidley Austin
39) Akin Gump
40) Goodwin Procter
41) Jenner & Block
42) Troutman Sanders
43) Mayer Brown
44) Wilmer Hale
45) Cahill Gordon
46) Morgan Lewis

I don't think Ropes has to match Fish. I think based on reputation alone Ropes will have no problems recruiting in Boston.

Latham & Watkins
Arnold & Porter
Heller Ehrman
Gibson Dunn
Kirkland & Ellis
Willson Sonsin
Jones Day
Baker & McKenzie
Thelen Reid
K&L Gates
Blank Rome
Reed Smith
Holland & Knight
McGuire Woods
Hunton & Williams
Venable
Ropes & Gray
Bingham McCutchen

Has anyone heard about Simpson?

hey, put Chadbourne on the didn't match list.

Anyone have any info about what Piper's Chicago pay might be?

The Black List

Latham & Watkins
Arnold & Porter
Heller Ehrman
Gibson Dunn
Kirkland & Ellis
Willson Sonsin
Jones Day
Baker & McKenzie
Thelen Reid
K&L Gates
Blank Rome
Reed Smith
Holland & Knight
McGuire Woods
Hunton & Williams
Venable
Ropes & Gray
Bingham McCutchen
Linklaters

Fish has what, 75 lawyers in Boston? Lame as it is, 400+ lawyer shops like Ropes and Goodwin will not match Fish and will survive.

The Black List

Latham & Watkins
Arnold & Porter
Heller Ehrman
Gibson Dunn
Kirkland & Ellis
Willson Sonsin
Jones Day
Baker & McKenzie
Thelen Reid
K&L Gates
Blank Rome
Reed Smith
Holland & Knight
McGuire Woods
Hunton & Williams
Venable
Ropes & Gray
Bingham McCutchen
Linklaters
Winston & Strawn

stop being idiots, you know K&L matched!!!!!!

anon 8:37 - why did you leave out Dickstein Shapiro

Have the xoxohth people infested the boards here?

Can anyone confirm that Alston & Bird will be going to 140 in Atlanta as reported on Greedy?

Also, what about Mayer Brown in Charlotte at 145 (along with the step-up raises at Cadwalader and Dechert)?

Any other Charlotte news?

Latham & Watkins
Arnold & Porter
Heller Ehrman
Gibson Dunn
Kirkland & Ellis
Willson Sonsin
Jones Day
Baker & McKenzie
Thelen Reid
K&L Gates
Blank Rome
Reed Smith
Holland & Knight
McGuire Woods
Hunton & Williams
Venable
Ropes & Gray
Bingham McCutchen
Linklaters
Winston & Strawn
Kelley Drye

Latham & Watkins
Arnold & Porter
Heller Ehrman
Gibson Dunn
Kirkland & Ellis
Willson Sonsin
Jones Day
Baker & McKenzie
Thelen Reid
K&L Gates
Blank Rome
Reed Smith
Holland & Knight
McGuire Woods
Hunton & Williams
Venable
Ropes & Gray
Bingham McCutchen
Linklaters
Winston & Strawn
Kelley Drye
Alston & Bird

Latham & Watkins
Arnold & Porter
Heller Ehrman
Gibson Dunn
Kirkland & Ellis
Willson Sonsin
Jones Day
Baker & McKenzie
Thelen Reid
K&L Gates
Blank Rome
Reed Smith
Holland & Knight
McGuire Woods
Hunton & Williams
Venable
Ropes & Gray
Bingham McCutchen
Linklaters
Winston & Strawn
Kelley Drye
Alston & Bird
Bryan Cave

Latham & Watkins
Arnold & Porter
Heller Ehrman
Gibson Dunn
Kirkland & Ellis
Willson Sonsin
Jones Day
Baker & McKenzie
Thelen Reid
K&L Gates
Blank Rome
Reed Smith
Holland & Knight
McGuire Woods
Hunton & Williams
Venable
Ropes & Gray
Bingham McCutchen
Sonnenschein
Linklaters
Winston & Strawn
Kelley Drye
Alston & Bird
Bryan Cave

Latham & Watkins
Arnold & Porter
Heller Ehrman
Gibson Dunn
Kirkland & Ellis
Willson Sonsin
Jones Day
Baker & McKenzie
Thelen Reid
K&L Gates
Blank Rome
Reed Smith
Holland & Knight
McGuire Woods
Hunton & Williams
Venable
Ropes & Gray
Bingham McCutchen
Linklaters
Winston & Strawn
Kelley Drye
Alston & Bird
Bryan Cave
Foley & Lardner
Katten Muchin

Latham & Watkins
Arnold & Porter
Heller Ehrman
Gibson Dunn
Kirkland & Ellis
Willson Sonsin
Jones Day
Baker & McKenzie
Thelen Reid
K&L Gates
Blank Rome
Reed Smith
Holland & Knight
McGuire Woods
Hunton & Williams
Venable
Ropes & Gray
Bingham McCutchen
Linklaters
Winston & Strawn
Kelley Drye
Alston & Bird
Bryan Cave
Foley & Lardner
Katten Muchin
Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal

Latham & Watkins
Arnold & Porter
Heller Ehrman
Gibson Dunn
Kirkland & Ellis
Willson Sonsin
Jones Day
Baker & McKenzie
Thelen Reid
K&L Gates
Blank Rome
Reed Smith
Holland & Knight
McGuire Woods
Hunton & Williams
Venable
Ropes & Gray
Bingham McCutchen
Linklaters
Winston & Strawn
Kelley Drye
Alston & Bird
Bryan Cave
Curtis Mallet

7:38 - I was wondering the same thing about Ropes. It is an interesting situation because Ropes paid a higher bonus for 1st and 2nd years in Boston than in NYC. Presumably they did so to narrow the gap between 135 in Boston and 145 in NYC. Wth PR's aggressive growth in Boston and Fish's move many thought the Big-3 might jump to 160. With Wilmer dropping in with 145, however, things aren't looking good.

Is the Chuck Norris announcement real?

Please use the latest copy of the list... Firms keep dropping off the bottom

Latham & Watkins
Arnold & Porter
Heller Ehrman
Gibson Dunn
Kirkland & Ellis
Willson Sonsin
Jones Day
Baker & McKenzie
Thelen Reid
K&L Gates
Blank Rome
Reed Smith
Holland & Knight
McGuire Woods
Hunton & Williams
Venable
Ropes & Gray
Dickstein Shapiro
Bingham McCutchen
Linklaters
Winston & Strawn
Kelley Drye
Alston & Bird
Bryan Cave
Foley & Lardner
Katten Muchin
Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal
Curtis Mallet

Latham & Watkins
Arnold & Porter
Heller Ehrman
Gibson Dunn
Kirkland & Ellis
Willson Sonsin
Jones Day
Baker & McKenzie
Thelen Reid
K&L Gates
Blank Rome
Reed Smith
Holland & Knight
McGuire Woods
Hunton & Williams
Venable
Ropes & Gray
Dickstein Shapiro
Bingham McCutchen
Linklaters
Chadbourne & Parke
Winston & Strawn
Kelley Drye
Alston & Bird
Bryan Cave
Foley & Lardner
Katten Muchin
Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal
Curtis Mallet

8:58 - Man, I hope not, or else all their associates are going to be moving to Bruce Lee LLP. I mean, who would want to stick with a firm that isn't matching and got its ass kicked in "The Chinese Connection?"

Latham & Watkins
Arnold & Porter
Heller Ehrman
Gibson Dunn
Kirkland & Ellis
Willson Sonsin
Jones Day
Baker & McKenzie
Thelen Reid
K&L Gates
Blank Rome
Reed Smith
Holland & Knight
McGuire Woods
Hunton & Williams
Venable
Ropes & Gray
Dickstein Shapiro
Bingham McCutchen
Linklaters
Chadbourne & Parke
Winston & Strawn
Kelley Drye
Alston & Bird
Bryan Cave
Foley & Lardner
Katten Muchin
Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal
Curtis Mallet
Kaye Scholer

Kaye Scholer matched last week: http://www.abovethelaw.com/2007/01/skaddenfreude_the_kaye_scholer.php

9:04 - you dumbass. Chuck Norris was in Return of the Dragon, not The Chinese Connection. With those research skills, I bet you are a 2L with no offer yet, so I wouldn't worry about matching.

Steptoe matched Hogan/Cov/et al. on years 1-6. Years 7 and 8 got only $230K and $235K respectively.
Legal Times article:
http://www.law.com/jsp/dc/PubArticleDC.jsp?id=1170237755774&hub=TopStories

I'll be curious to see what in-house departments do. They are going to have to provide some sort of increase, or those in-house are going to make their way back to the firm life

That law.com article that divulges Steptoes raise also puts A&P and Dickstein Shapiro on notice that they are now the misers in the "Legal Times 20". Shouldn't be long now...

I wouldn't hold your breath re: Hunton. They review salaries in April. Everyone in DC will get a check for $5k, etc.

BTW - some firms that announced across the board increases didn't actually give raises across the board. Greenberg Traurig made raises for mid-levels subjective - some did not get any raise at all. Many of those that did got raises that were below (the new) market.

Los Angeles update. How many associates are making more than you are? (and I am)

160 Firms # assoc.
Simpson (15)
Sullivan (20)
Skadden (92)
Quinn (86)
Milbank (45)
Proskauer (36)
Dewey (23)

Please forgive any inaccuracies with this list. It looks like over 317 associates are making NY rates in the City of Angels. One might thing Latham, Gibson and OMM might take notice.

Unfortunately, from the Bog 3 perspective, the NY-rate firms would have to more than double in size to accomodate all of the CA firm refugees.

To 7:21 - If compensation reflected what the partners thought you were worth the payscale would be $0 for 1st years, $0 for 2nd years, and $0 for 3rd years with a possible performance bonus.

Before the grammar and spelling trolls come out:

Bog 3 = Big 3 (that is Latham, O'Melvyny and Gibson)
Accomodate = Accommodate

holland & knight - such losers, always lagging

Dorsey & Whitney--add to the shit list

AnonymousLA,

I actually think you had it right with "Bog 3".

There's nothing "Big" about paying $15K less than the competition in your own backyard.

If the "Bog 3" wants to continue to consider L.A. as "their" domain, they'll just have to ante up with the rest of the elite firms. Money talks. You know the rest.

WGWAG?

Add Seyfarth Shaw to the black list.

and Cooley Godward Kronish

The fact of the matter is, white girls with asian guys.

I'm verrrry boooooored by all this discussion of the miniscule differences in salary among extraordinarily highly-paid people! Time move on to legitimate gossip, please.

Hey Jenny, if you don't like it, then don't read the comments and wait for Law to post something else.

Just so that no one looses track of the members of the Hall of Shame:

*** SHIT LIST ***

1. Latham & Watkins
2. Arnold & Porter
3. Heller Ehrman
4. Gibson Dunn
5. Kirkland & Ellis
6. Willson Sonsin
7. Jones Day
8. Baker & McKenzie
9. Thelen Reid
10. K&L Gates
11. Blank Rome
12. Reed Smith
13. Holland & Knight
14. McGuire Woods
15. Hunton & Williams
16. Venable
17. Ropes & Gray
18. Dickstein Shapiro
19. Bingham McCutchen
20. Linklaters
21. Chadbourne & Parke
22. Winston & Strawn
23. Kelley Drye
24. Alston & Bird
25. Bryan Cave
26. Foley & Lardner
27. Katten Muchin
28. Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal
29. Curtis Mallet
30. Kaye Scholer
31. Dorsey & Whitney
32. Seyfarth Shaw

Ropes is in a tight spot. They know they have to match the market, and they will definitely go to $160K in NYC, but they don't want to go that high in Boston. We have a lot of lawyers in Boston, and while we get great work, we're just not logging the hours (which is why I work there). On the other hand, backlash from my Boston peers will be nasty when they're told that our one-year-juniors in NYC are making just as much or more. To be honest, I would rather forego the raise and stay at my current billing pace - few of you seem to care that more money means less of life.

Two weeks ago, Thelen announced that they were going to make a decision on salary increases soon (retro to 1/1.07). They have postponed, yet again, but the rumor now is that they are planning on forced layoffs. Merger fallout or a clever way to pay for all those first years?

What about PH in LA? Are they waiting on LW, GDC?

Add Crowell & Mooring to the Blacklist

Add Crowell & Moring to the Blacklist

Just so that no one loses (OOPPS!) track of the members of the Hall of Shame:

*** SHIT LIST ***

1. Latham & Watkins
2. Arnold & Porter
3. Heller Ehrman
4. Gibson Dunn
5. Kirkland & Ellis
6. Willson Sonsin
7. Jones Day
8. Baker & McKenzie
9. Thelen Reid
10. K&L Gates
11. Blank Rome
12. Reed Smith
13. Holland & Knight
14. McGuire Woods
15. Hunton & Williams
16. Venable
17. Ropes & Gray
18. Dickstein Shapiro
19. Bingham McCutchen
20. Linklaters
21. Chadbourne & Parke
22. Winston & Strawn
23. Kelley Drye
24. Alston & Bird
25. Bryan Cave
26. Foley & Lardner
27. Katten Muchin
28. Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal
29. Curtis Mallet
30. Kaye Scholer
31. Dorsey & Whitney
32. Seyfarth Shaw

Just so that no one loses (OOPPS!) track of the Hall of Shame members:

*** SHIT LIST ***

1. Latham & Watkins
2. Arnold & Porter
3. Heller Ehrman
4. Gibson Dunn
5. Kirkland & Ellis
6. Willson Sonsin
7. Jones Day
8. Baker & McKenzie
9. Thelen Reid
10. K&L Gates
11. Blank Rome
12. Reed Smith
13. Holland & Knight
14. McGuire Woods
15. Hunton & Williams
16. Venable
17. Ropes & Gray
18. Dickstein Shapiro
19. Bingham McCutchen
20. Linklaters
21. Chadbourne & Parke
22. Winston & Strawn
23. Kelley Drye
24. Alston & Bird
25. Bryan Cave
26. Foley & Lardner
27. Katten Muchin
28. Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal
29. Curtis Mallet
30. Kaye Scholer
31. Dorsey & Whitney
32. Seyfarth Shaw

I don't understand why any Holland & Knight partner with a nice book of business doens't jump off that sinking ship at the earliest opportunity. If the PPP #s are correct, then a solid partner could likely walk across the street and easily get a $100K raise ... referring to the article on the front page of law.com about lateral partners.

Don't forget about the Big 3 in Texas: Vinson & Elkins (still getting over the whole "we represented Enron" thing), Fulbright & Jaworski, and Baker Botts (2nd most profitable office: DC). None have matched, even in the NYC/DC office. As an aside, Akin Gump started in Dallas, so it's kind of a Texas firm and has matched.

Some people say V&E will have to lead the charge for other Texas firms to follow, b/c they did so last time and they have the most catching up to do. But B&B has built a strong presence in DC and would probably like to keep it that way.

maybe these firms can't afford it - im sure at least some of them can't. why dont we get a list going of the firms that can match and haven't and the firms that can't match

In Boston, Fish & Richardson is at 160K. Pre-merger with Ropes, Fish & Neave was more highly regarded than Fish & Richardson. It seems like Ropes has no choice but to match.

What firm(s) on that list can't afford it?

I don't really think Ropes has to match... Ropes does much better recruiting Boston law students than Fish does. It is "the" Boston firm, so I don't really think they are going to fall off if they don't match Fish.

Ropesassoc 10:57

I don't really agree that more pay = more hours... at least at some of these firms I think the associates are already being worked to the max (especially in NYC). So, realistically I don't think the pay increases will result in drastic work increases.

here here 11:42

Shouldn't Pillsbury be blacklisted as well?

The Hall of Shame is a little bit subjective. In some cases, the firms are going to definitely match, but haven't yet. True, they are acting slowly, but it's not surprising in the case of the lower ranked firms.

Pilsbury has been having financial troubls in the past few years. I wouldn't be surprised if they can't afford 160k in NYC, 145k in DC/CA.

Does anyone really think any firm on that list won't eventually match, at least to the 160 NYC and 145 everywhere else? They can't afford not to.

the question for the "slow to raise" crowd is whether they go retroactive to January, or something lame like March.

I don't think it's so much a question of whether they will eventually raise, because they either will or they'll fall behind and merge with someone who did. I think it's more of a question like 12:04 said, whether they go retroactive. Whether they do or not, I would think associates at those firms would be pretty pissed. Either because their firm basically waited so long to match, essentially indicating it will only raise when it's hands are tied, or even worse, it did that and then didn't even go retroactive, which is really lame.

I am surprised nobody has mentioned that the $15k increase for NY really doesn't mean much - most of it goes to taxes, and the net increase per week is somewhere around $200. We're still not being compensated as we should be - our hedge fund and investment banker friends laugh at us.

12:13, While I advocate all pay raises for all lawyers, we are never going to be paid at the rate of hedge funds or high level positions at investment banks because the firms simply aren't that wealthy. I am not saying the firms are poor - many of them are quite large and successful.

Law firms' profitably relies largely upon billable hours (especially in non-corporate areas), and there are only 24 hours in a day. You can't make more than a fixed sum per year, even if you kill your associates with long hours.

Investment banks and hedge funds don't operate that way. They can make a lot more money, and therefore, pay their employees a lot more than lawyers.

Hughes Hubbard memo posted on infirmation.com. Looks like the raised their bonuses too

http://www.infirmation.com/bboard/clubs-fetch-msg.tcl?topic=Greedy%20NY&msg_id=0036bs

Rocking, that's a good point. And considering that one of the implied reasons for the increase was to keep people at the firms, I don't really think it does a great job in that regard. There is still a lot more money to be made at the hedge funds, investment banks, etc. In addition to pay increases, I think firms would have to look at other changes to effectively counter losing talent.

Assuming that was the main goal behind this.

As an associate at one of the firms on that list, I'm not pissed. I know my firm will raise to wherever the market settles. Is my firm a market leader? Obviously not. Did I think it was when I came here? No. It has only been about two weeks since this all started. Even if a firm doesn't go retroactive, it's not exactly a big financial loss. I do agree that would be lame, though.

Anon 12:26:

I agree in that it isn't a big financial loss even if a firm doesn't go retroactive (although it is lame). But I think at this point the market has clearly settled (at least in NYC). I totally understand firms not waiting to make multiple raises and thus waiting to see where the market settles, but I would think any firms who don't match within the next week are clearly being lame.

It's premature to put most of those firms into a hall of shame. It's only been 2 weeks and some cities are still unsettled as to how the market will work itself out. Within the next few weeks those firms most likely will end up at 160K in NY and 145K in other cities.

As to the raises being retroactive, that's another story....

does anyone know anything about a crazy rumor posted earlier today about Wachtell going to 200K for 1st years.

I should have said in my above post, I am not located in NYC. The way things are going, I certainly hope my market hasn't settled.....

To Anonymous 11:06

It's probably because no Holland & Kinght partner has a nice book of business. Too many service partners doing low pay regulatory work.

Hughes Hubbard & Reed matched.

About the Wachtell rumor. The source of that rumor was the toilet board toilet law students like me commiserate on as we realize we're wasting three years of our lives.

Point being it's not necessarily that credible. I did provide a link so please don't accuse me of not revealing the source.

Can anyone substantiate 10:57's post? How is Thelen's PPP? And where do people get this data from? Can they be hurting that bad to accomodate the raise? Sounds like a bad sign.

Is anyone else considering the layoffs for raises strategy?

Regarding V&E, Baker Botts, and Fulbright...

V&E and BB were both already at $145 in DC. In part because they don't need to make a change in DC, I doubt they'll make a change in Texas, although I expect them to match in NYC.

If there is a move in Texas, it certainly won't be to any level above $145k. Yes Skadden and Weil are at $160 in Houston, but those firms are seen as outsiders by Houston firms, and V&E and BB most likely don't feel like they need to match.

Just so that no one loses (OOPPS!) track of the Hall of Shame members:

*** SHIT LIST ***

1. Latham & Watkins
2. Arnold & Porter
3. Heller Ehrman
4. Gibson Dunn
5. Kirkland & Ellis
6. Willson Sonsin
7. Jones Day
8. Baker & McKenzie
9. Thelen Reid
10. K&L Gates
11. Blank Rome
12. Reed Smith
13. Holland & Knight
14. McGuire Woods
15. Hunton & Williams
16. Venable
17. Ropes & Gray
18. Dickstein Shapiro
19. Bingham McCutchen
20. Linklaters
21. Chadbourne & Parke
22. Winston & Strawn
23. Kelley Drye
24. Alston & Bird
25. Bryan Cave
26. Foley & Lardner
27. Katten Muchin
28. Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal
29. Curtis Mallet
30. Kaye Scholer
31. Dorsey & Whitney
32. Seyfarth Shaw
33. Nixon Peabody

why are you adding Kaye Scholer to the list? They matched, as noted repeatedly above.

Anonymous 7:23am, Thelen's PPP is $850,000 ranking them 82nd overall. Info can be found in The Amlaw 200. Search for the citation "6/2006 AMLAW 143" in Westlaw.

v&e and BB are at $140 (in all offices), and the compression gets terrible as you get more senior. and the bonuses are insultingly bad.

1. Latham & Watkins
2. Arnold & Porter
3. Heller Ehrman
4. Gibson Dunn
5. Kirkland & Ellis
6. Willson Sonsin
7. Jones Day
8. Baker & McKenzie
9. Thelen Reid
10. K&L Gates
11. Blank Rome
12. Reed Smith
13. Holland & Knight
14. McGuire Woods
15. Hunton & Williams
16. Venable
17. Ropes & Gray
18. Dickstein Shapiro
19. Bingham McCutchen
20. Linklaters
21. Chadbourne & Parke
22. Winston & Strawn
23. Kelley Drye
24. Alston & Bird
25. Bryan Cave
26. Foley & Lardner
27. Katten Muchin
28. Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal
29. Curtis Mallet
30. Dorsey & Whitney
31. Seyfarth Shaw
32. Nixon Peabody

1. Latham & Watkins
2. Arnold & Porter
3. Heller Ehrman
4. Gibson Dunn
5. Kirkland & Ellis
6. Willson Sonsin
7. Jones Day
8. Baker & McKenzie
9. Thelen Reid
10. K&L Gates
11. Blank Rome
12. Reed Smith
13. Holland & Knight
14. McGuire Woods
15. Hunton & Williams
16. Venable
17. Ropes & Gray
18. Dickstein Shapiro
19. Bingham McCutchen
20. Linklaters
21. Chadbourne & Parke
22. Winston & Strawn
23. Kelley Drye
24. Alston & Bird
25. Bryan Cave
26. Foley & Lardner
27. Katten Muchin
28. Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal
29. Curtis Mallet
30. Dorsey & Whitney
31. Seyfarth Shaw
32. Nixon Peabody

You are all idiots. Probably only three of you had an offer from more than one place and you can only grumble and complain if the place you turned down now pays more. But surely, when you decided where to go, you asked yourself things like where will QOL be better, where will I work less, etc. Did you think that QOL and less work doesn't equal less money? Think again.

9:50 must be a law student, not an attorney.

Ropes' IP practice is centered in NYC (cuz of Fish & Neave), not Boston. Ropes will certainly match 160 in NYC and whatever Wilmer/Goodwin/Bingham does in Boston. It's a conservative firm in all respects -- I wouldn't want to have to wait on one foot for these kind of policy decisions to be made.

What about Orrick? They haven't done anything in any of their offices...

add Dechert to the list

There was an article on law.com the other day about how dechert was soooo rich. With only 9 other firms that higher PPPs. What gives?

Dechert is very rich, with a PPP of $1.56 million, however according to the Amlaw 200, this puts them 23rd on the rich list, not 10th.

10th, 23rd, whatever.... As you pointed out, they are rich.

The question remains. What gives? Apparently not Dechert.

Dechert keeps sending me propaganda at my office - glossy postcards, brochures, little books, etc, on how AWESOME they are and how they stack up with other big name firms. Maybe that's what they're spending their extra money on instead of raising salaries - mass mailing to associates at other firms.

They're from Philly, what do you expect?

K&E needs to act soon. So called comp leaders.

Yeah, is anyone else getting that low-class propaganda from Dechert? "We're soooooo awesome, look at our name next to all the NYC name brand firms." What are they so insecure about?

katten muchin to shit list

Everyone loves a visit from the Merit-Less Raise Fairy.

I was horrified at Dechert's bonuses this year. I was embarassed to tell my friends and family the amount - especially since my kid brother, who works for a real estate firm, had a better bonus. It's no wonder that we haven't heard about salary increases. I don't expect much. But, hey, NY isn't that far, and for an extra 50 grand, I'll take Amtrack.

You usually proudly announce your bonus amount to your family and friends? You must be a big hit at parties.

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