Featured Job Survey: Bar Expenses, Signing Bonuses and Advances (Part One)
We received over 1,200 responses to last week’s our ATL / Lateral Link survey on bar stipends and reimbursements, salary advances, and signing bonuses, and we’ve definitely got the makings of another sweet, informative running table for you.
But it’s going to take a little bit of time to mesh all the data, as some of you differ quite a bit on what, if anything, your firms provide. So while we work on getting you everything from A to Z, here are the results from Akin Gump to Drinker Biddle, or about 35 firms, to get the ball rolling. We’ll post a bigger table next week.
The table below shows four things for each firm:
* how the firm helps new associates with bar exam expenses (reimbursement of actual expenses or a fixed stipend),
* whether the firm pays new associates a signing bonus or graduation bonus (not counting clerkship bonuses, which are discussed elsewhere),
* whether the firm provides salary advances (i.e., loans) in any particular amounts, and
* whether the firm provides a pro-rated bonus (a “stub bonus”) for the period between your start date and the end of the year first year.
Now, this is the first iteration of these results, and like another Episode I, it may have some room for improvement. It’s entirely possible that we’ve got the right numbers in the wrong buckets, or are missing a number completely, or have otherwise managed to bork something.
For example, in a lot of cases, where associates have reported that their firms don’t cover bar expenses, they may really have meant to say that the firms don’t provide a stipend, but actually do reimburse the actual bar exam expenses when presented with a receipt. In other cases, reported salary advances or stub bonuses may differ from associate to associate, and we need more input so we can state a range instead of an amount certain.
So, if details about your firm are missing or wrong or fraught with nuance, please send us a tip.
Those caveats aside, we bring you the first batch of results. Check out the table, after the jump.
Update: An updated, extended version of this table is now here here. Click on over to see if we made it to Latham, MoFo, Wachtell, or $190K.
And, of course, if you’d like to add, update, or clarify any details about your firm please send us a tip.
Bar Expenses, Starting Bonuses, and Advances By Firm
* Firm reimburses the actual cost of PMBR and BarBri.
** Firm reimburses the actual cost of bar review courses and taking the exam.
*** Allen & Overy pays a pro-rated bonus based on a $35,000 annual bonus (which would usually work out to $8,750 based on a 1/4 proration). Chadbourne & Parke pays a pro-rated bonus which would usually work out to $9,400. Cleary Gottleib and Cadwalader pay a pro-rated “market” bonus which would usually work out to $10,000 at Cleary and ranges up to $18K at Cadwalader (which appears to pay NY market in all offices). Davis Polk pays a pro-rated bonus based on a $30,000 to $35,000 annual bonus. Dewey & LeBoeuf pays a pro-rated annual bonus which works out to $5K to $10K in most offices.
**** Firm offers direct billing for BarBri costs.
***** Firm reimburses the actual cost of bar exam prep and taking the exam, including travel expenses.
******Cooley Godward reimburses the actual cost of bar exam prep and taking the exam, including travel expenses, and pays six weeks salary (approximately $18,000).
Stay tuned for the next installment of this table. Will we make it to Latham? MoFo? Wachtell? Find out next week. In the meantime, if details about your firm are missing, wrong, or somewhat more nuanced than what’s posted above please send us a tip.
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Great chart!
did you miss firms starting with E through Z?
12:16, did you actually read the article? It states both, "Those caveats aside, here's the first batch of results:" and "Stay tuned for the next installment of this table. Will we make it to Latham? MoFo? Wachtell?"
12:16, did you miss the first part of the last paragraph?
"Stay tuned for the next installment of this table. Will we make it to Latham? MoFo? Wachtell?"
It seems like Cooley Godward has far and away the best deal for recent grads of any firm listed thus far. You get everything reimbursed, plus you get $18K!
12.16 - I never want you as my lawyer because you obviously don't read things very closely - read the second damn paragraph! "...So while we work on getting you everything from A to Z, here are the results from Akin Gump to Drinker Biddle, or about 35 firms, to get the ball rolling. We'll post a bigger table next week"
um, isn't this already available on NALP (and more reliable b/c it's firm verified)? Oh well, my firm doesn't start with A-D anyway...
are there actually biglaw firms that pay no bar expenses, no signing bonus, and no advance? We need a new list of shame.
From Alston & Bird's website:
Reimbursement of reasonable moving expenses for all entry-level associates and experienced attorneys
Reimbursement of bar expenses, including bar application fees, MPRE and a bar review course
http://www.alston.com/careers/lawstudents/benefits/
Oh yea, the t14 grad in the $5000 suit is gonna work for Berenbaum, Weinshienk & Eason, where the partners don't even make that in a month. COME ON
Drinker Biddle = $10k + reimbursement.
Nooooo. I need to know about firms in the 'W's! I hate waiting.
Lat or Justin should separate 'reimbursement' from stipend--are there really firms that won't pay exam fees and BarBri in BigLaw?
Kirkland lets all of its summers do a pili fellowship, 39k for 300 hours of work. They do have to give up the 10k stipend though.
12:29, can you provide a link to the NALP chart?
Dechert Philly actually paid a $3000 stub bonus this year.
12:16 -- You are the worst poster ever. You must be a UVA grad. You reek of urine.
Great use of an AD quote, Gil. Well played.
D&L has full reimbursement for bar expenses.
12:52 - I take it your team lost the softball tournament?
12:32 is correct, A&B reimburses (promptly) for all moving expenses and bar expenses.
could someone please explain where the E-Z firms are?
To 12:44 -- Yes, there are. King & Spalding in Atlanta in 2005 gave us 10k as some sort of bonus/stipend. Take out the taxes and that comes to 6k that is supposed to cover moving expenses, bar exam prep, bar exam, and summer living expenses.
whats is a "stub bonus"?
12:35 is right.
Drinker Biddle: "$10,000 stipend for first-year associates prior to bar exam plus bar-related expenses."
I really like this chart, I just think it would be more useful if it went all the to Z. A-D is only a few letters of the alphabet.
1:16 = 12:16
12:16 should go outside and tackle a bus ... immediately.
Last two ads at the top:
- Online dating
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What firms/schools are they targeting with these?
It's so annoying to have to click twice to comment now as a guest. The old site was MUCHT better.
You should probably break out the stipend from reimbursement for bar expense. Otherwise the first column gets overly confusing.
You know, if you use firefox in combination with adblock plus, this site is ad-free.
AG DC isn't exactly right. They cover Barbri/PMBR and bar exam registration fees. In May, there was a $7500 stipend. There's no salary advance (though I suppose if one needed it, you could probably get one, but it isn't standard). And yes, the stub bonus was $1,000.
please separate "bar stipend" from "bar reimbursement." some firms provide both, and the "bar stipend" is often not in the form of a signing bonus or a graduation bonus.
for instance, if a firm pays bar stipends in the middle of of april, that is neither a signing bonus nor a graduation bonus.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE break out the first two columns it makes my head explode trying to read and compare this.
what, pray tell, is a graduation bonus?
The advance, signing bonus and reimbursement of bar related expenses are done out of love.....
Oh goody I like the mean devilish judge icon best.
What exactly is a "stub" bonus?
Chadbourne does reimburse actual bar/bri costs, and travel and lodging costs if you have to travel to Albany.
LAT!! You like totally ruined my whole schtick.
BAKER BOTTS - DALLAS
The firm pays bar expenses and moving costs.
http://www.bakerbotts.com/careers/students/compensation/compensation_office.aspx?id=3565e061-8690-4bcf-a632-d8e024aa554f
12:35 = awesome
Dewey LeBoeuf offers direct billing for PMBR & BarBri, covers exam fees, and reimburses reasonable travel costs. I think the $3K is moving expenses.
-Beefeater
for Akin DC, the $5000 isn't a salary advance, but may refer to their relocation assistance. they don't, however, pay travel for bar exam/swearing in.
Sidley (Chi):
* Bar fees, BarBri and (3 day) PMBR
* $3,500 moving expenses
* Air travel to find a place to live
* $10k stipend
* PILI fellowship (same as Kirkland - it's either the fellowship or the stipend)
(4/10) 4:41, a "stub" bonus is a pro-rated bonus, paid to first years at a firm's regular bonus time. Most NY offices pay stubs, but don't pay stipends. Most Chi offices pay stipends, but don't pay stubs.