Associate Life Survey: Everything (Else) You Always Wanted to Know About Starting Bonuses But Were Afraid to Ask

While responses to last week’s ATL / Lateral Link survey on summer associate programs continue to flow in (add your 2 cents here), let’s pause to consider what last year’s summer associates are going to experience over the next few months: bar exams (sorry), relocations, and sweet, sweet signing bonuses (or not).

We’ve received about a hundred comments and tips since we posted our “Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Starting Bonuses But Were Afraid To Ask” table, which aggregated the results from our ATL / Lateral Link surveys on bar stipends and reimbursements, salary advances, and signing bonuses, relocation benefits and whether you have to pay it all back when you leave.

So today, we’re updating the table to fill in some more blanks.

The table below now shows six things for each firm:

  * which bar exam expenses the firm will reimburse (send us tips to fill in the blanks),

  * whether the firm pays new associates a summer stipend or 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,

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  * whether the firm provides any particular relocation benefits,

  * 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, and

  * whether the firm will make you pay it all back if you leave. As a general rule, payback requirements will apply to everything but a stub bonus, and will include clerkship bonuses.

And now, that introduction aside, read on to see the aggregated table of bar reimbursements, stipends and bonuses, salary advances, moving expenses, stub bonuses, and payback requirements. Check it out, after the jump.

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As always, please send us a tip if any of the details about your firm are missing or wrong or fraught with nuance. In particular, we’ve left blanks where we either haven’t yet received responses or tips, or where data provided struck us as less than credible.

Bar Expenses, Starting Bonuses, Advances, Relocation Benefits, and Payback Policies, By Firm

Firm Bar Exam Reimbursements Bar Stipend or Signing / Graduation Bonus Salary Advance Relocation Benefits Stub Bonus Payback Required?
Akin Gump – DC BarBri
PMBR
Exam fees
$7,500 stipend None. Up to $5,000 reimbursement
Firm has direct billing with preferred movers
$1,000
Akin Gump – Houston BarBri
PMBR
Exam fees
$11,000 None. Up to $2,000 reimbursement None.
Allen & Overy Bar review course
Exam expenses
None. $12,000 Up to $3,000 reimbursement
The firm will cover apartment broker fees.
$8,750*
Alston & Bird BarBri (direct billing)
Exam fees
Hotel
None. $7,500 Firm has direct billing with preferred movers
Relocation benefit includes moving your car.
Firm provides storage fees in addition to moving fees.
None. Full payback required if associate leaves within 12 months
Armstrong Teasdale Bar review course
Exam expenses
$3,000 None. None.
Andrews Kurth Bar review course
Exam expenses
$7,500 Reimburse all reasonable expenses $1,000
Arnold & Porter $6,000 to $12,000 stipend $0 to $7,000 Firm has direct billing with preferred movers
Arnold and Porter insures most valuables.
None.
Baker & Hostetler $5,000 None. None.
Baker & McKenzie – Dallas BarBri
PMBR
Exam fees
$15,000 (part stipend, part bonus) None. None. Full payback required if associate leaves within 12 months
Baker & McKenzie – NY BarBri
PMBR
Exam fees
$5,000 stipend $5,000 $8,000 Full payback required if associate leaves within 12 months
Baker & McKenzie – Palo Alto BarBri
PMBR
Exam fees
$15,000 stipend None. None. Full payback required if associate leaves within 12 months
Baker Botts BarBri
PMBR
Exam fees
Hotel
$5,500 signing bonus
$5,000 graduation bonus
None. Firm has direct billing with preferred movers
Relocation benefit includes moving your car.
The firm will provide consulting services from professional house or apartment hunters.
Employees receive preferred treatment from specific lenders.
Firm covers gas mileage if you drive, or plane tickets if you fly out.
None.
Baker Hostetler Up to $3,000 for bar expenses $5,000 Up to $5,000 reimbursement
Balch & Bingham $5,000 $10,000 None.
Ballard Spahr $5,000 stipend None. None. Full payback required if associate leaves within 12 months
Berenbaum, Weinshienk & Eason None. None. None.
Bingham BarBri (direct billing) None. $10,000 None.
Blank Rome – NY $6,000 stipend None. None.
Blank Rome – Philadelphia $5,000 to $8,000 stipend None. None.
Boies, Schiller and Flexner BarBri (direct billing)
Exam expenses
None. $10,000 None.
Bracewell & Giuliani Bar review course
Exam expenses
$10,000 None. Up to $3,000 reimbursement None.
Bryan Cave None. $10,000 None.
Buchanan Ingersoll $7,000 None. None.
Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft Bar review course
Exam expenses
Travel
None. $7,000 to $10,000 Firm has direct billing with preferred movers
Relocation benefit includes moving your car.
The firm will provide consulting services from professional house or apartment hunters.
Preferred brokers will offer discounts on closing costs and fees
$0 to $18,000* Full payback required if associate leaves within 12 months
Cahill Gordon & Reindel Bar review course
Exam expenses
Travel
None. $7,000 to $10,000 $0 to $11,000
Chadbourne & Parke Bar review course
Exam expenses
Travel
Hotel
None. $10,000 $9,400*
Chapman and Cutler $12,000 stipend $3,000 None.
Choate Hall and Stewart Up to $2,000 reimbursement
Christensen, Glaser, Fink, Jacobs, Weil & Shapiro Up to $3,000 reimbursement
Relocation benefit includes moving your car.
Cleary Gottlieb Bar review course
Exam expenses
Travel
None. $10,000 Firm has direct billing with preferred movers
The firm will cover apartment broker fees.
$10,000*** Full payback required if associate leaves within 12 months
Clifford Chance Bar review course
Exam expenses
Travel
None. $10,000 Firm has direct billing with preferred movers
$10,000 stipend
$0 to 5,000
Cole, Scott & Kissane None. None. None.
Cooley Godward Bar review course
PMBR
Exam expenses
Hotel
$18,461.54 stipend** case by case Firm has direct billing with preferred movers
Relocation benefit includes moving your car.
Firm provides 2 months storage and multiple trips to transport your belongings
None. Full payback required if associate leaves within 12 months
Covington & Burling $8,000 stipend None. Reasonable expenses reimbursed None.
Cravath, Swaine & Moore Bar review course
Exam expenses
Travel
$3,000 $7,000 to 8,000 Firm has direct billing with preferred movers
The firm will cover closing costs on a new home.
The firm will cover apartment broker fees.
$7,500 to $10,000
Crowell & Moring Bar review course
Exam expenses
None. $10,000 None.
Cullen and Dykman None.
Davis Polk & Wardwell Bar review course
Exam expenses
Travel
None. $7,000 to $8,000 Firm has direct billing with preferred movers
Relocation benefit includes moving your car.
The firm will cover apartment broker fees.
The firm will provide consulting services from professional house or apartment hunters.
Employees receive preferred treatment from specific lenders.
Firm provides storage costs for up to 3 months.
$0 to $13,000* No.
Day Pitney $5,000 stipend
Debevoise Bar review course
Exam expenses
None. $10,000 $0 to $12,000
Dechert – NJ $8,000 stipend None. Firm has direct billing with preferred movers $3,000 Full payback required if associate leaves within 12 months
Dechert – NY & DC $5,000 stipend $0 to $10,000 Firm has direct billing with preferred movers $10,000 Full payback required if associate leaves within 12 months
Dechert – PA $11,000 to $12,000 stipend None. Firm has direct billing with preferred movers $0 to $3,000 Full payback required if associate leaves within 12 months
Dewey & LeBoeuf BarBri or Pieper (direct billing)
PMBR (direct billing)
Bar and MPRE expenses
Travel
None. $0 to $10,000 Up to $3,000 reimbursement
The firm will cover apartment broker fees.
The firm will provide consulting services from professional house or apartment hunters.
Employees receive preferred treatment from specific lenders and brokers.
$10,000*
Dickinson Dees None. $5,000 None.
Dickstein Shapiro BarBri
PMBR
Exam fees
None. $5,000 None.
DLA Piper – CA Bar review course
Exam expenses
$15,000 None. None. Full payback required if associate leaves within 18 months
DLA Piper – Chicago Bar review course
PMBR
$700 for exam application
$7,500 (post-tax)*** None. None. Full payback required if associate leaves within 18 months
DLA Piper – NY Bar review course
PMBR
Exam expenses
Travel
None. $10,000 None. Full payback required if associate leaves within 18 months
DLA Piper – Seattle Bar review course
PMBR
Exam expenses
$12,000 stipend None. None. Full payback required if associate leaves within 18 months
Dorsey & Whitney Bar review course
Exam expenses
$5,000 $5,000 Firm has direct billing with preferred movers
Relocation benefit includes moving your car.
None.
Dow Lohnes $5,000 stipend $5,000 None.
Drinker Biddle & Reath bar-related expenses $10,000 stipend None. $2,000 stipend $0 to $5,000
Duane Morris Firm has direct billing with preferred movers (up to $2,500)
Ellenoff Grossman & Schole None.
Faegre & Benson Bar review course
Exam fees
MPRE
None. up to $10,000 None.
Finnegan Henderson Bar review course
Exam fees
$18,461 stipend (6 weeks salary) None. Firm has direct billing with preferred movers
Relocation benefit includes moving your car.
The firm will cover closing costs on a new home.
The firm will cover apartment broker fees.
The firm will provide consulting services from professional house or apartment hunters.
The firm will provide temporary furnished housing during search for new home.
None.
Fish & Richardson Bar review course
Patent bar review course
Exam fees
$9,230 (3 weeks pay) $10,000 Firm has direct billing with preferred movers
Relocation benefit includes moving your car.
Firm covers travel for visit and home search
None.
Foley & Lardner Bar review course
Exam expenses
None. $10,000 Up to $5,000 reimbursement
Relocation benefit includes moving your car.
Employees receive preferred treatment from specific lenders.
The firm guarantees a down payment loan.
None. No.
Fox Rothschild $5,000 None. None.
Freshfields Bar review course
Exam fees
$10,000 $10,000 or more Pro-rated bonus
Fried Frank Bar review course
PMBR
Exam fees
$3,000 $10,000 $2,000 stipend Pro-rated bonus*
Fulbright & Jaworski $10,000 up to $10,000 Firm has direct billing with preferred movers None.
Gardere $5,000 None. None.
Gibson Dunn – NY Bar review course
Exam fees
None. $10,000 $0 to $9,000 Full payback required if associate leaves within 12 months
Gibson Dunn – other offices Bar review course
Exam fees
$12,000 to $13,333 stipend None. Firm has direct billing with preferred movers
Relocation benefit includes moving your car.
$0 to $9,000 Full payback required if associate leaves within 12 months
Goodwin Procter Bar review course
PMBR
Exam fees
None. $5,000 Up to $3,500 reimbursement in Boston and New York
Firm has direct billing with preferred movers in DC
$8,750 No.
Greenberg Traurig – DC None. None. None.
Greenberg Traurig – Denver $5,000 None. None.
Greenberg Traurig – Miami $5,000 stipend None. Pro-rated bonus
Haynes and Boone Bar review course
Exam fees
$10,500 (part bonus, part stipend) None. Up to $2,000 reimbursement None. Pro rata payback required if associate leaves within 12 months
Heller Ehrman Bar review course
Exam fees
$12,000 stipend None. Pro-rated bonus (if any) Full payback required if associate leaves within 12 months
Hodgson Russ $5,000 stipend None. $0 to $3,000
Hogan & Hartson BarBri
PMBR
Exam fees
$2,000 to $6,000 stipend None. Up to $5,000 reimbursement in New York
Firm has direct billing with preferred movers in DC and Denver
Relocation benefit includes moving your car.
None. No.
Holland & Knight Bar review course
Exam expenses
$5,000 None. Up to $3,000 reimbursement
Relocation benefit includes moving your car.
Employees receive preferred treatment from specific lenders.
None.
Holme Roberts & Owen $5,000 stipend None. None.
Howrey $12,000 stipend $10,000 None.
Hughes Hubbard Bar review course
PMBR
Exam fees
None. $10,000 None.
Hunton & Williams Bar review course
PMBR
Exam expenses
$3,000 Firm has direct billing with preferred movers
Relocation benefit includes moving your car.
Firm covers part of closing costs.
None.
Irell & Manella Bar review course
Exam fees
$15,000 stipend (5 weeks pay) case by case Up to $3,500 reimbursement
Firm has direct billing with preferred movers
Pro-rated bonus*
Jenner & Block Bar review course
PMBR
MPRE Prep
Exam expenses
$13,000 stipend None. Firm has direct billing with preferred movers
The firm will provide consulting services from professional house or apartment hunters.
Employees receive preferred treatment from specific lenders.
None. Full payback required if associate leaves within 12 months
Jones Day – Dallas & DC Bar review course
Exam fees
$10,000 None. Firm has direct billing with preferred movers None. Pro rata payback required if associate leaves within 12 months
Jones Day – NY Bar review course
Exam fees
$6,000 to $8,000 stipend $6,000 to $7,000 Firm has direct billing with preferred movers $0 to $8,000 Pro rata payback required if associate leaves within 12 months
Jones Walker $3,000 stipend $5,000 None.
K&L Gates – NY BarBri
Exam Expenses
None. $5,000 Up to $5,000 reimbursement
The firm will provide consulting services from professional house or apartment hunters.
None.
K&L Gates – Pittsburgh BarBri
Exam Expenses
$6,000 stipend Up to $5,000 reimbursement
K&L Gates – Seattle BarBri
Exam Expenses
$4,000 to $10,000 None. Up to $5,000 reimbursement
The firm will provide consulting services from professional house or apartment hunters.
None.
Kasowitz Benson Bar review course
Exam fees
None. $5,000 to $10,000 $10,000
Katten Muchin Rosenman BarBri (direct billing)
Exam fees
Travel
$9,000 stipend*** None. None. Full payback required if associate leaves within 12 months
Kaye Scholer Bar review course
PMBR
Exam fees
None. Up to $7,500 Reasonable moving expenses Pro-rated bonus (up to $10,000)
Keker & Van Nest Bar review course
Exam fees
$10,000 stipend None. Pro-rated bonus
Kelly, Hart & Hallman $10,000 None. $5,000
Kenyon & Kenyon Bar review course
PMBR
Patent bar review course
Exam fees
None. $5,000 to $10,000 None.
Kilpatrick Stockton $5,000 to $10,000 None. None.
King & Spalding – Atlanta $10,000 None. Firm has direct billing with preferred movers None. Full payback required if associate leaves within 12 months
King & Spalding – DC $3,000 stipend $5,000 Firm has direct billing with preferred movers None. Full payback required if associate leaves within 12 months
Kirkland & Ellis Bar review course
Exam fees
$10,000 bonus*** None. Firm has direct billing with preferred movers
Relocation benefit includes moving your car.
The firm will provide consulting services from professional house or apartment hunters.
Employees receive preferred treatment from specific lenders.
The firm will cover apartment broker fees.
The firm covers storage for furniture for up to 6 months.
The firm covers one trip to look for housing.
Full bonus (based on August year-end) Pro rata payback required if associate leaves within 12 months
Latham & Watkins Bar review course
Exam expenses
$13,333 stipend (4 weeks pay) None. Up to $6,000 reimbursement
Relocation benefit includes moving your car.
The firm will provide temporary furnished housing during search for new home.
Employees receive preferred treatment from specific lenders.
The firm will cover apartment broker fees.
The firm will reimburse airline travel or driving expenses.
None. No.
Linklaters BarBri (direct billing)
PMBR (direct billing)
Exam fees
Travel
Hotel
None. $5,000 to $10,000 Firm has direct billing with preferred movers
Relocation benefit includes moving your car.
The firm will cover apartment broker fees.
The firm will provide consulting services from professional house or apartment hunters.
The firm will provide temporary furnished housing during search for new home.
Employees receive preferred treatment from specific lenders.
The firm also provides a stipend and salary advance.
Pro-rated bonus No.
Littler Mendelson Bar review course $10,000 None. 5000 None.
Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell BarBri (direct billing)
Exam expenses
$15,000 stipend None. None.
Lovells Bar review course
Exam expenses
$10,000 None. Up to $3,000 reimbursement
Relocation benefit includes moving your car.
The firm will provide temporary furnished housing during search for new home.
None.
Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps $12,000 stipend None. Firm has direct billing with preferred movers None.
Mayer Brown Bar review course
Exam expenses
MPRE
$0 to $10,000*** Up to $10,000 Up to $3,000 reimbursement
Relocation benefit includes moving your car.
Employees receive preferred treatment from specific lenders.
Firm reimburses expenses incurred in a pre-move visit.
$0 to $9,000
McDermott, Will & Emery – DC BarBri (direct billing)
PMBR
Exam fees
$6,000 stipend None. Up to $3,000 reimbursement None. Pro rata payback required if associate leaves within 12 months
McDermott, Will & Emery – NY BarBri (direct billing)
PMBR
Exam fees
$3,000 stipend None. Up to $3,000 reimbursement None. Pro rata payback required if associate leaves within 12 months
McDermott, Will & Emery – other offices BarBri (direct billing)
PMBR
Exam fees
$8,500 or $9,500 stipend None. Up to $3,000 reimbursement None. Pro rata payback required if associate leaves within 12 months
McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter $0 to $5,000 None. None. No.
McGuireWoods BarBri
PMBR
Exam fees
$5,000 signing bonus None. Firm has direct billing with preferred movers
Relocation benefit includes moving your car.
Travel expenses for one house-hunting trip.
None. Full payback required if associate leaves within 12 months
McKee Nelson Bar review course
PMBR
Exam expenses
Travel
$13,333 (one month’s pay) None. Up to $5,000 reimbursement $10,000 No.
Merchant & Gould $2,000 stipend None. None. Full payback required if associate leaves within 3 years
Milbank Tweed BarBri (direct billing)
PMBR (direct billing)
Exam fees
Hotel
Travel
None. $10,000 $9,000
Miller & Chevalier $6,000 stipend None. None.
Moore & Van Allen $0 to $2,000 stipend None. None.
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius Bar review course
Exam expenses
$10,000 stipend
($5,000 in DC)
cbc Firm has direct billing with preferred movers
Relocation benefit includes moving your car.
Employees receive preferred treatment from specific lenders.
Reimbursed moving expenses do not include packing costs.
Pro-rated bonus (NY only?) Full payback required if associate leaves within 12 months
Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell BarBri
PMBR
Exam fees
$5,000 stipend None. Up to $3,000 reimbursement
Relocation benefit includes moving your car.
The firm will cover closing costs on a new home.
The firm will provide consulting services from professional house or apartment hunters.
Employees receive preferred treatment from specific lenders.
None.
Morrison & Foerster $15,000 stipend cbc None.
Munger Tolles & Olson BarBri
PMBR
Exam fees
$10,000 to $12,000 stipend None. Up to $5,000 reimbursement
Relocation benefit includes moving your car.
The firm will provide consulting services from professional house or apartment hunters.
None.
O’Melveny & Myers BarBri (direct billing)
PMBR (direct billing)
MPRE
Exam expenses
$10,000 stipend up to $5,000 Firm has direct billing with preferred movers
The firm will provide consulting services from professional house or apartment hunters.
Firm will cover 3 months paid storage.
Firm will cover airfare.
$0 to $7,500 Full payback required if associate leaves within 12 months
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe Two bar review courses
Exam expenses
Hotel
Travel
$10,000 stipend None. Up to $5,000 reimbursement
The firm will provide temporary furnished housing in some markets during search for new home.
The firm will pay 20% of broker fee in some markets.
None. Full payback of bar stipend required if associate leaves within 3 years, and pro rata reimbursement of everything else if associate leaves within 12 months
Parker Poe None. Full payback required if associate leaves within 24 months
Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler Bar review course
Exam fees
Travel
None. up to $10,000 Up to $3,000 reimbursement None. Need to pay back any outstanding amount owed on salary advance.
Patton Boggs $8,000 stipend None. None.
Paul Hastings $12,000 to $17,000 stipend None. Firm has direct billing with preferred movers
Relocation benefit includes moving your car.
Employees receive preferred treatment from specific lenders.
None. Full payback required if associate leaves within 12 months
Paul Weiss Bar review course
Exam expenses
None. $10,000 Firm has direct billing with preferred movers Pro-rated bonus*
Pepper Hamilton $8,000 stipend None. None. Full payback required if associate leaves within 12 months
Perkins Coie Bar review course
Exam expenses
Hotel
$10,000 stipend None. None. Full payback required if associate leaves within 12 months
Pillsbury BarBri (direct billing)
Exam fees
None. $10,000 Firm has direct billing with preferred movers
Relocation benefit includes moving your car.
Firm will cover cost of airfare.
$0 to $4,000 (New York only) No.
Porter & Hedges $10,000 None. None.
Post & Schell, P.C. None.
Powell Goldstein Up to $5,000 reimbursement
Proskauer Rose Bar review course
PMBR
Exam fees
MPRE
Hotel
Travel
$3,000 to $10,000 stipend $10,000 Up to $3,000 reimbursement
The firm will cover apartment broker fees.
$10,000 (New York only)
Quarles & Brady Firm has direct billing with preferred movers
The firm will cover closing costs on a new home.
Full payback required if associate leaves within 12 months
Quinn Emanuel BarBri
PMBR
Exam fees
$10,000 stipend None. Up to $10,000 reimbursement
Firm has direct billing with preferred movers
Relocation benefit includes moving your car.
The firm will provide consulting services from professional house or apartment hunters.
Employees receive preferred treatment from specific lenders.
None. Full payback required if associate leaves within 12 months
Reed Smith BarBri
PMBR
Exam fees
$7,000 stipend None. Up to $3,000 reimbursement Pro-rated bonus Full payback required if associate leaves within 12 months
Ropes & Gray BarBri
PMBR
Exam fees
None. $10,000 Firm has direct billing with preferred movers Pro-rated bonus (generally $8K to $9K) No.
Saul Ewing $3,000 stipend None. None.
Schulte Roth & Zabel BarBri
PMBR
Exam fees
None. $5,000 Firm reimburses “reasonable expenses” $9,000
Schwartz Cooper Bar review course
Exam fees
$10,000 None. None.
Seward & Kissel None.
Seyfarth Shaw Bar review course
Exam expenses
$12,000 stipend None. None.
Shearman & Sterling BarBri (direct billing)
PMBR (direct billing)
Exam fees
MPRE
Travel
None. $7,000 Firm has direct billing with preferred movers
Relocation benefit includes moving your car.
The firm will cover closing costs on a new home.
The firm will cover up to $1,500 in apartment broker fees.
The firm will provide consulting services from professional house or apartment hunters.
The firm will provide temporary furnished housing during search for new home.
Pro-rated bonus*
Sheppard Mullin Bar review course
Exam expenses
Travel
$8,000 stipend None. Firm has direct billing with preferred movers None. Full payback required if associate leaves within 12 months
Shook Hardy & Bacon $6,000 None. None.
Sidley Austin Bar review course
PMBR
Exam fees
$10,000 stipend*** up to $10,000 Up to $3,500 reimbursement in Chicago, $5,000 reimbursement in NY, and $2,500 reimbursement in DC.
Relocation benefit includes moving your car.
The firm will provide consulting services from professional house or apartment hunters.
Employees receive preferred treatment from specific lenders.
The firm will represent employees in purchase of new home.
The firm pays for one round trip ticket for both the associate and spouse for house hunting.
$10,000 No.
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett Bar review course
PMBR
Exam fees
MPRE
Hotel
Travel
None. $15,000 Firm has direct billing with preferred movers
Relocation benefit includes moving your car.
The firm will cover closing costs on a new home.
The firm will cover apartment broker fees.
Pro-rated bonus*
Skadden Bar review course
PMBR
Exam fees
MPRE
Hotel
Travel
None. $10,000 $3,000 to $4,000 reimbursement
The firm will provide consulting services from professional house or apartment hunters.
Firm will cover two nights at a hotel for house-hunting trip.
Pro-rated bonus Full payback required if associate leaves within 12 months (4 months in the case of moving expenses)
Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal Bar review course
Exam expenses
$5,000 up to $5,000 None. Full payback required if associate leaves within 12 months
Stearns Weaver None. None. None.
Steptoe & Johnson $8,000 stipend None. Firm has direct billing with preferred movers
Relocation benefit includes moving your car.
None.
Stoll Keenon Ogden PLLC $4,000 stipend None. None.
Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth $12,000 bonus
$6,000 stipend
None. Up to $4,000 reimbursement
Relocation benefit includes moving your car.
None.
Sullivan & Cromwell Bar review course
PMBR
Exam fees
MPRE
Hotel
Travel
None. $7,000 to $10,000 Firm has direct billing with preferred movers
Relocation benefit includes moving your car.
The firm will cover closing costs on a new home.
The firm will cover apartment broker fees.
The firm will provide consulting services from professional house or apartment hunters.
The firm will provide temporary furnished housing during search for new home..
The firm will provide up to 3 months storage.
Employees receive preferred treatment from specific lenders.
Pro-rated bonus ($5,000 to $12,000)
Sutherland Asbill & Brennan $10,000 $3,000 None.
Thacher Proffitt & Wood BarBri
PMBR
Exam fees
Travel
None. $10,000 None.
Thelen Reid – NY BarBri
PMBR
Exam expenses
MPRE
None. $10,000 None.
Thelen Reid – SF BarBri
PMBR
Exam expenses
MPRE
$12,000 stipend None. None.
Thompson Hine $6,000 None. Up to $5,000 reimbursement
Relocation benefit includes moving your car.
None.
Troutman Sanders Bar review course
Exam expenses
None. $5,000 $1,500 stipend None. Full payback required if associate leaves within 12 months
Ulmer & Berne $7,000 None. None.
Venable Bar review course
Exam expenses
None. $5,000 None.
Vinson & Elkins Bar review course
Exam expenses
$3,000 $10,000 Firm has direct billing with preferred movers
Employees receive preferred treatment from specific lenders.
$10,000 (New York only)
Vorys Sater Seymour and Pease No.
Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz $3,000 stipend $20,000 $1,000 stipend Pro-rated bonus
Weil, Gotshal & Manges Bar review course
PMBR
Exam fees
MPRE
Hotel
Travel
None. $10,000 Firm has direct billing with preferred movers
Relocation benefit includes moving your car.
Employees receive preferred treatment from specific lenders.
Pro-rated bonus No.
White & Case – non-NY Bar review course
PMBR
Exam fees
None. up to $7,500 Pro-rated bonus
White & Case – NY Bar review course
PMBR
Exam fees
Travel
$4,000 stipend up to $8,000 Pro-rated bonus
Wiggin & Dana $3,000 stipend $7,000 None.
Wiley Rein Bar review course
PMBR
Exam fees
Hotel
Travel
$5,000 stipend None. None.
Williams & Connolly Bar review course
Exam expenses
None. cbc Reasonable expenses up to a cap. None.
Willkie Farr & Gallagher Bar review course
Exam fees
None. $10,000 Firm has direct billing with preferred movers
Relocation benefit includes moving your car.
Pro-rated bonus
WilmerHale Bar review course
PMBR
Exam fees (up to two states)
Travel
Hotel
$5,000 Up to $10,000 Firm has direct billing with preferred movers
Relocation benefit includes moving your car.
Pro-rated bonus*
Wilson Sonsini $17,500 stipend None. Firm has direct billing with preferred movers
Relocation benefit includes moving your car.
Employees receive preferred treatment from specific lenders.
$0 to $3,000 Pro rata payback required if associate leaves within 12 months
Winston & Strawn Bar review course
PMBR
Exam fees
$10,000 stipend None. $10,000 (New York only)
Womble Carlyle Firm has direct billing with preferred movers
The firm will cover closing costs on a new home.
The firm will provide temporary furnished housing during search for new home.
Young Conaway $5,000 stipend None. None.

*Allen & Overy, Paul Weiss, Shearman & Sterling, Simpson Thacher and WilmerHale pay a pro-rated bonus, which was based on a $35,000 annual bonus last year (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.
Fried Frank pays a pro-rated annual bonus which generally worked out to $10K last year.
Irell & Manella pays a pro-rated bonus based on a $47,500 annual bonus (which would work out to about $12K based on a 1/4 proration).

** Cooley Godward pays “six weeks” salary. This either means $18,461.54 ($160K * 6/52) or $20,000 (three semi-monthly installments of $6,666.67.) Since most people clicked on “$18,000” or wrote in a 6/52 calculation, we’re putting $18,461.54 in the table for now.

*** Katten, Kirkland, Mayer Brown, Sidley Austin, and DLA Piper associates in Chicago may receive more under a PILI fellowship. At Katten, the associates participating in a PILI fellowship will receive an additional $7,000 stipend in May. At Kirkland and Mayer Brown, Chicago associates may opt to take 13 or 10 weeks pay, respectively, under a PILI fellowship instead of the $10,000 signing bonus (which works out to over $30,000). Note that Kirkland’s 13 weeks includes 5 weeks at part-time. On the non-PILI front, Mayer Brown associates in New York, Palo Alto, and DC do not appear to receive a stipend (other than for relocation expenses), and the stipend for incoming associates in the Charlotte office is $5,000.
The DLA Piper stipend is about $11,000 pre-tax.

Please let us know if we missed something or got something wrong, or if you can help fill in the blanks. Send tips here.


Justin Bernold is a Director at Lateral Link, the sponsor of this Associate Life Survey.


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