Joe Russoniello to… $245K?
Veteran litigator Joseph Russoniello, recently nominated to serve as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California, previously served as senior counsel in the San Francisco office of Cooley Godward Kronish. If he’s confirmed, which is looking likely, one would expect him to take a big pay cut as he moves from private practice to government service. The current Attorney General, Michael Mukasey, earned $1,993,367 over 21 months while at Patterson Belknap; now, as AG, he takes home $186,600 a year.
But Joe Russoniello won’t be taking such a huge pay cut. A reader observes:
Buried at the end of a Recorder article (subscription) about a DOJ report about Joe Russoniello’s possible conflicts or interest due to his $1.5 million stock portfolio is Joe’s last year’s compensation from Cooley Godward. This is the part that I found interesting. Why? Because it’s so low.What do you think Cooley Godward was paying the ex-U.S. Attorney to serve as counsel to the firm? Half a million? A million? No…. $244,802!
In light of that paycheck — which, while handsome by normal standards, is a pittance by Biglaw ones — we hope that Russoniello’s Cooley gig was super-cushy, with minimal billing required. His paycheck is pretty much equal to that of a third-year associate at Cravath, all in (base of $180,000, year-end bonus of $45,000, and special bonus of $20,000). But how many Cravath third-years can claim to have served as U.S. Attorney in a major city for eight years, as Joseph Russoniello did (1982-1990)?
Fighting Crime May Not Pay [The Recorder (subscription)]
Taking Stock of The DOJ’s Next Targets [Legal Pad]
(19) Comments
Comments
First. He is way overpaid.
Guys in my high school use to work for $245,000 all the time...it was no big deal.
Yeah, but think of all the other benefits this guy gets for looking like Max Weinberg.
the 245 doesnt count all the money he makes under the table.
I am guessing he works about 5-10 hours a week. As "councel" his primary function was to glad hand clients and hang his credentials on the wall. I would bet he billed about 250 hours, if that. Cush doesn't begin to describe how easy these guys have it.
I make no apologies for the following:
I just went next door to a co-clerk's office and, on a WP document typed "defendnat." I then did a spell check and hit "accept always" for the offending word.
This will prove fun.
11:44,
Checking to see if anyone cares.
.
.
.
Nope.
11:50 - Clearly you care far more than anyone else as you took the time to post that rather clever little response.
You sir are a douche
11:44 I care. More office shennanigans please. Everyone needs to lighten up at work, thanks in advance.
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...
Lat, no one cares. This is boring.
SSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHLLLLLLLLLUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lat - that is the sound of this blawg sucking.
This is interesting stuff. Does anyone know if the guy even had to bill?
12:23 -
Yes, he probablly had to bill expenses to several different clients.
Oh, you mean bill hours? Then no.
Wasn't his return as U.S. Attorney long-rumored? Could he have cut back his hours & compensation assuming that he'd be in place earlier?
I know Joe, and while I am not privy to anything confidential, I know from MSM accounts that Joe is not just lunching clients. He was handling (if necessary jury trying) matters for CGC and (presumably) billing his time.
Does anyone know anything about compensation at Cooley? Entertaining an offer...
PS: Joe never took the rumors of his reappointment for granted.
Dear 3:56--Aparently after a distinguished career you can earn as much as $244,802.
to 3:54, if you are "entertaining" an offer, how about asking Cooley about the compensation?
Oh wait, instead ask a random stranger on a blog.
"you're gonna make it after all"