Last!

Wasted away again in Low-Pay Lathamville

Lookin' for my lost associate pay

Some people say that there's a recession to blame

But I know, its their own damn fault

Yikes!

BITCH SPREAD THE BUTT CHEEKS SO I CAN SMELL THE JUICY INSIDES!

Here's a bonus; you still have a job, you greedy bastards.

Again, this would never happen in Texas. I will take my 3900 sq ft home and BMW over the chump pay and shitty living conditions in "classy" NYC any day.

officies? Good God.

Can anyone read the tipster's name? You'd think he / she would be a bit more careful...

"Cravath Across All Officies" --

Reallies? Cravathies matchies all officies?

Dip shit.

7 -- yeah, but the problem then is that you have to LIVE IN TEXAS. Nobody should have to be subjected to that kind of torture.

7 -- This did happen in Texas. Weil has offices in Houston, Dallas and Austin, and we're getting the same shitty bonus.

Has anyone heard anything about K&E?

Bonusies at all firmies officies? Yayies!

Kirkland bonuses are going to be huge!

MysTTTal, I have to hand it to you. You guarantee yourself an extra 10-15 comments on nearly every post by using shittty spelling and grammar. You are the master manipulator.

Alternatively this is why you don't have a real job anymore.

jones day or kirkland news? supposedly those are the only two firms having great years.

jones day or kirkland news? supposedly those are the only two firms having great years.

Camera phone? Really? Does no one know how to use the print screen function anymore?

Officies? You are a moron Ellie. Please shoot yourself.

Now I'm just a caveman, but what's an officies?

Where are Jones Day compensation letters?

7-You may have a 3900sf house and a 325 (maybe even a 328)- but there is still one big problem- You're in Texas.

What's an officies?

shoulda gone to skadden

Has anyone been watching Minnesota libs stealing the Coleman/Comedian election?

Colman was up over 700 votes; now he'll probably lose by about 12.

Check out the ballots not counted as "for Coleman" -- http://johnrlott.tripod.com/other/ColemansXs.html

23 - and so was your girlfriend last night. HTH.

- 7

I am going to kick Ellie in the officies so she won't be able to have children ever.

26,

Have you notice Minnesota libs are porking your mother?

26: Good, the Republicans were bitch-slapped across the board this year, and with good reason. They are the most corrupt, incompetent, greedy bastards we've seen since the days of Warren Harding, and a president who was just as bad. As much as I dislike Al Franken (as a comedian and a human being), good for Minnesota! The whole country should get rid of lousy Republicans en masse. The Revolution of 1994 is OVER! Republicans are back where they were in 1992, and deservedly so.

I am going to use my Tiger Schulmans training to kick your ass, 27.

jones day bonuses are out. they're craperiffic

also, why can't you ass-clowns fix your fucking comment posting script so it will actually refresh the fucking page after the comment is posted?

Weil associates are pissed. The firm paid a lot of lipservice to how well they are doing and all the high profile matters that they are handling. It seems like the only thing that really matters is what CravaTTTh is doing. Weil is having a banner year and associates are very busy (even corporate associates) and to think that they couldn't match Skadden is rediculous. The firm had a great chance to improve it's prestige and perception among others in the legal community and make associate morale very high and it failed miserably.

26- Awesome, we're learning from the Republicans- 8 years after the Bush heist. Let us hope the learning stops here and the democrats don't learn how to copy a president with the lowest approval ratings in American history and who gets shoes thrown at him- the ultimate fuck you- in Asia.

"Here's a bonus; you still have a job, you greedy bastards."

- 6

Look #6, by that logic, they should pay us minimum wage, and we should be happy about it.

But, believe it or not, I didn't go come to work at a big law firm because I needed "a job." I had a job before I went to law school. I came to work at a big law firm because I wanted to make a lot of money and because I wanted to do interesting work. (I was wrong on the second part of that, as it turns out - but that's for another post...)

It's perfectly fair to want as much money as possible out of this job. I'm not working at the local food bank. I'm working at a giant organization that bills in excess of a billion dollars a year. This giant organization is a for-profit enterprise - it is designed specifically to extract as much money as possible from the clients it serves.

As it turns out, I'm a for-profit enterprise as well. I make no bones about wanting to get the most money possible out of this job. This is the primary reason for working at a large commercial law firm.

My firm is about to announce a 2008 that was its best year in history, and looks forward to a 2009 that will be very, very good. Why shouldn't the associates benefit from the firm's productivity?

(And you might be surprised to learn that an associate at a large law firm, with degrees from two of the nation's top academic institutions, actually has employment options beyond working at a big firm or getting in the bread lines - even in this crappy economy...)

#5 = racist GULCer.

LOL what the point in specializing in something if you cant reward your people even when you are top dog.

I wish my firm had work for me to do.

-Stub panhandling for work

hey 26, would you like some cheese with that whine?

your head must have been stuck up MysTTTal's cavernous ass for you to have missed the fact that right wing douchebags are being kicked in the nuts across the board. and on top of that, after the bush/gore fiasco of 2000, the democrats deserve about 10 disputed elections to fall their way.

ps - kill yourself

#36: you did shitty research before going to law school. The vast majority of lawyers make only a somewhat comfortable living. There are very few rich lawyers. You would have been better off being a plumber, living frugally, and investing wisely. You are 0 for 2!

I love TIGER SCHULMANS.

Tiger Schulman.

i'm pretty sure they still teach creationism in texas

Will Skadden still be required to wipe the Ass Cravath next year?

Also, this blog needs an enema.

"The firm had a great chance to improve it's prestige and perception among others in the legal community and make associate morale very high and it failed miserably."

34 - you make the same mistake everyone else does - there's no connection between associate morale/compensation and prestige. Prestige =/= Generosity. Associates are no the "legal community." Partners are, and Partner prestige is not measured in generosity.

dissapointing

40 is best

Liberals are so incapable of making an argument, it's pathetic. All law firms should ask one question during interviews: Are you a Dem? If so, GTFO.

41: I'm not sure what kind of logic you're using. Of course the vast majority of lawyers only do so-so, but the gamble of going to law school (less so the better the law school) and working hard is that you leave making a lot more money than the average.
The point 36 is making is simple--there's nothing "greedy" about associates wanting to be as well-compensated as possible. Who doesn't want the most compensation possible?

Kirkland?

I looked at 26's link.

The first 2 ballots are listed as having not been counted for Coleman, despite the fact that if you click on the "source" it appears to me that they were, in fact, counted for Coleman.

Scooped by xoxopwn3d.

you're right 30...at least we have the Chicago Democratic machine to look to as a shining example of the "change we need" in politics

For a firm that routinely has huge portions of its billables submitted to a federal bankruptcy judge for approval is it any wonder that.....eh screw it, there's no point explaining.

#49: fine, then get what you deserve or go elsewhere. But please stop fucking whining. Would you dare whine like this in a crowded bar full of teamsters? You're a pathetic yuppie. Nobody gives a shit that you lost a tiny amount of money this year in terms of your overall wealth. You retained (or probably increased) your standing as earning well into the top 1% of salaries. Please, for the love of all that is holy, shut the fuck up with this whining.

I looked at 26's link.

I'm not saying it's bullshit, but ...

the first 2 ballots are listed as having not been counted for Coleman, despite the fact that if you click on the "source" it appears to me that they were, in fact, counted for Coleman.

The Libs who think it's "good" that an election is being stolen are basically welcoming mob rule, but forget one problem: If it comes to that, it's conservatives who own the guns.

It's pretty sad to see libs try to steal an election in 2000 -- which has been recounted and verified by even the NYTimes -- and now welcome the stealing of another election.

But this is standard operating procedure for the Dem-wit party:

http://www.anncoulter.com/cgi-local/article.cgi?article=286

Agree with 55 - 15% of the country is either underemployed or unemployed (including the "sucks so bad I'm out of the labor force" #) and you are crying over only receiving $17,500 in additional comp?

Grow some damn balls.

53: you are so fucking ignorant. Rahm Emanuel was just exonerated as having nothing to do with the scandal. Obama had nothing to do with it, as Fitzgerald took great pains to point out. So, yes, I do believe that someone who came from a historically corrupt political area without sacrificing his ideals is change we can believe in. Another pathetic GOP lame-ass attempt at guilt by association (see Rev. Wright, Ayers).

Some day it's gonna be different, when I paint my masterpiece.

57 just linked to Ann Coulter

#55 - why is it whining for 49 to say he/she wants the most compensation possible?

(And I suspect you've never been anywhere near any Teamsters - people in labor unions like the Teamsters and the UAW do quite well for themselves, even when there's a downturn in their industries. That's the benefit of being a member of a powerful union.)

can we get an open thread to discuss JD's craptastic comp news?

36 -- well put

62: yes. "quite well for themselves?" They make an average of $27,000 a year. http://www.simplyhired.com/a/salary/search/q-Teamster

And you think they do quite well for themselves, even though they make a small fraction your salary. But that is my point exactly. All of you whiners are incredibly out of touch with reality.

63 - what is craptastic about it?

Still no news here

- K&E Associate

57-

You should really consider killing yourself. Anyone who links to Ann Coulter whilst making an argument shouldn't be allowed to live freely.

57--Did you really just link to Ann Coulter? Republicans are asshats, each and every one, and their backwards, hate-filled and ridiculously stupid ideology has been discredited and disgraced. Get over it. At least have the decency to pretend you're a libertarian or something.

Ditto, 67.

- Another K&E serf

somehow people (partners) forget that most law students have more than $150k in law school debt and then top this off with NYC rent, and you really don't make much. These bonuses help with all that...not anymore... Thanks Weil partners

what is the minimum hours requirement at Weil?

Texas still teaches creationism.. But they have some really classy stuff too. Its fairly balanced.

59 - rezko?

and let me know when Rod is exonerated...

o yeah - Daley too

Sweet post 69!

BITCH SPREAD THE BUTT CHEEKS SO I CAN SMELL THE JUICY INSIDES!

Mr. Flim Flom

I can't wait to see how many Weil associates quit....why not work as hard at skadden and get paid more?

66 - way below market bonus. less for 2nd years than some stub-years at other firms...

66 - Office?

WHAT IS MINIMUM BILLABLES REQUIREMENT AT WEIL?

there are NO minimum billables at weil

7- She was. She was teaching a class in laywer literacy.

Any K&E associates in the know?

-K&E associate not in the know

Why is anyone surprised about low comp at Jones Day? That's exactly what they are known for (besides being unprestigious).

63 -- I've heard that JD has gone completely away from lockstep salaries this year, in both directions (even more than the usual deviations under its "black box" comp). Have you heard the same?

81: Shit... then Weil compensation still kicks Quinn's butt.

QUINN EMANUEL SUCKS

85 - I have heard that. I have also heard that they are going to completely eliminate bonuses going forward. Hope they're ready for mass defections.

"Can anyone read the tipster's name? You'd think he / she would be a bit more careful..."
Yes, 9, I can and it's "NY Associates, DC Associates, Chicago Associates", and so forth. Outed as law school who has yet to step foot inside a law firm, much less an office.

"The firm had a great chance to improve its prestige and perception among others in the legal community and make associate morale very high and it failed miserably."
34: Not sure that Weil really needs to do the former and given below average attrition rate these days, not sure that it really cares about or wants to do the latter.

I know nothing, and have heard nothing.

--K&E Chicago associate

hey 36, if you have other employment options, take them. i'm sure you can move to all of the other firms that are paying a full bonus. oh wait, you're already in the best job that you could get, like everyone else.

87, 85 - Where do you "hear" all this stuff?

38: I share your pain. It has been a brutally boring and desperate 4 months.

all you douchebags with the "average people have it so much worse than you" horseshit, just STFU and go organize unions. regardless of how much the barrier to entry is for lawyers (depending on where you went to school, etc.) the fact remains that it's a 7 year process before you can even get started. that's a big opportunity cost investment, and the only thing that makes it economically worthwhile is that you supposedly make big money working for big law. when the firm doesn't make money, that's one thing, and we'll take our lumps. when the firm has a banner year by working us until we drop and then the partners pocket every cent of that extra production, we have reason to gripe: because of us, the people who "own" the business and thus bear the "risk" of capital loss didn't suffer at all. but because they're greedy, we did.

we need truckers and garbagemen and steel-plate stampers to have a running economy, but don't think for a second that any one of those guys who could get a better paying job wouldn't. the teamsters drive trucks because it's the best money they can get. so i'll sit here and whine about my decreased compensation, or i'll go to a teamster bar while they do THE EXACT SAME THING, and then in the end we'll all piss on the tools who think no one who makes more than minimum wage can complain about money.

91 - heard it through the grapevine. you should try putting your ear to the ground once in awhile----you'll hear all sorts of shit.

what Jd offices have received comp letters?

Here's my rant for the day:

Point 1:
Anyone coming from a top law school and working at a solid law firm should become filthy rich (millions and millions in net worth). If you don't, then it's a function of you being either incredibly foolish with money or lacking in soft-skills to such a degree that you can't lateral into a weaker firm and make partner.

Point 2:
All these discussions about bonus pay (or lack thereof) are very short-sighted. Making $200K+ in total compensation after a few years out of law school will make anyone rich, even in NYC. You may not be a 30 year millionaire but you will be a 45 year old multi-millionaire.

Stop sweating the few thousand here and there and think big-picture. Positioning yourself to lateral down and into a firm with PPP around $1M flat (in a normal economy) is good enough to be very rich. If you can't hack the hours or the competition to get to that point then it's a good thing you aren't in banking or any other big-money position anyways.

All this talk of people boasting about 3900 sq foot homes and BMWs in Texas is pretty sad. If you can't own a 7,000 sq ft home in texas and a porsche you are either still really junior as a lawyer (assuming a biglaw firm) or you are terrible with money. Of course you could be a person in it for life experiences (travel and expensive dinners) but it's a tradeoff you are choosing to make.

Point 3:
People on this board that dismiss lawyers as lucky to still have a job don't get it. Lawyers should be pushing for their share of the pie (even a smaller pie). Anyone slamming those people is just jealous. On the other hand, the focus on the smallish bonuses as being impactful on long-term wealth and careers is so short-sighted that it reveals the widespread ignorance of how to really manage wealth. It might also reflect the poor strategic thinking of some law firms that might create real long-term value by taking a slight economic hit now (like Weil paying above-market given their solid bankruptcy position).

The irony is that those criticizing Weil for not paying bigger bonuses seem to reflect the same ignorance that Weil displays.

Here's my rant for the day:

Point 1:
Anyone coming from a top law school and working at a solid law firm should become filthy rich (millions and millions in net worth). If you don't, then it's a function of you being either incredibly foolish with money or lacking in soft-skills to such a degree that you can't lateral into a weaker firm and make partner.

Point 2:
All these discussions about bonus pay (or lack thereof) are very short-sighted. Making $200K+ in total compensation after a few years out of law school will make anyone rich, even in NYC. You may not be a 30 year millionaire but you will be a 45 year old multi-millionaire.

Stop sweating the few thousand here and there and think big-picture. Positioning yourself to lateral down and into a firm with PPP around $1M flat (in a normal economy) is good enough to be very rich. If you can't hack the hours or the competition to get to that point then it's a good thing you aren't in banking or any other big-money position anyways.

All this talk of people boasting about 3900 sq foot homes and BMWs in Texas is pretty sad. If you can't own a 7,000 sq ft home in texas and a porsche you are either still really junior as a lawyer (assuming a biglaw firm) or you are terrible with money. Of course you could be a person in it for life experiences (travel and expensive dinners) but it's a tradeoff you are choosing to make.

Point 3:
People on this board that dismiss lawyers as lucky to still have a job don't get it. Lawyers should be pushing for their share of the pie (even a smaller pie). Anyone slamming those people is just jealous. On the other hand, the focus on the smallish bonuses as being impactful on long-term wealth and careers is so short-sighted that it reveals the widespread ignorance of how to really manage wealth. It might also reflect the poor strategic thinking of some law firms that might create real long-term value by taking a slight economic hit now (like Weil paying above-market given their solid bankruptcy position).

The irony is that those criticizing Weil for not paying bigger bonuses seem to reflect the same ignorance that Weil displays.

96/97 = law student who has never paid his own bills.

I can confirm that the butt cheeks poster is in fact a GULC student.

96 to my dad

This is what happens when Wall St. exit options disappear. Partners have never increased salaries or paid decent bonuses out of the kindness of their hearts. It was always with selfish intentions, and just in case you're one of those junior associates who never worked a day in your life before big law, it's time to wake up and realize it's never been about you.

all you douchebags with the "average people have it so much worse than you" horseshit, just STFU and go organize unions. regardless of how much the barrier to entry is for lawyers (depending on where you went to school, etc.) the fact remains that it's a 7 year process before you can even get started. that's a big opportunity cost investment, and the only thing that makes it economically worthwhile is that you supposedly make big money working for big law. when the firm doesn't make money, that's one thing, and we'll take our lumps. when the firm has a banner year by working us until we drop and then the partners pocket every cent of that extra production, we have reason to gripe: because of us, the people who "own" the business and thus bear the "risk" of capital loss didn't suffer at all. but because they're greedy, we did.

we need truckers and garbagemen and steel-plate stampers to have a running economy, but don't think for a second that any one of those guys who could get a better paying job wouldn't. the teamsters drive trucks because it's the best money they can get. so i'll sit here and whine about my decreased compensation, or i'll go to a teamster bar while they do THE EXACT SAME THING, and then in the end we'll all piss on the tools who think no one who makes more than minimum wage can complain about money.

For at least the last 20 years Rebublicans and Democrats have basically split the vote. To call either discredited or to viciously malign members of either party solely for their affiliation is moronic.

Once upon a time, this comment board was useful and contained insightful comments from thoughtful attorneys.

At any rate, let us hope Weil and company can keep Latham its salary-freezing cronies at bay.

93: did you really suffer this year? How is that possible? Do you have a coke habit? And if your response is, I live in NYC, then why the hell don't you move? It is common knowledge that NYC is ridiculously overpriced. Are you working at a firm that pays the same salary for offices in cities with half the cost of living? If wealth is your concern, request a transfer. Otherwise, stop the bitching. Yes, you and teamsters should try to get as much money as you can. It's called a free market. When you don't succeed, how long are you going to complain and when will you stop bitching and take action?

96: true that. But I slam the complainers not because I'm jealous (I did just about as well as anyone this year with compensation for my year), but because it is the complaining seems absurd to me for the simple reasons that you list: how hard is it to become wealthy in big law? and do you really think a smaller bonus will have any significant lasting impact on your wealth? You have to wait another year to buy a house? Oh boo hoo.

Elie - "And what is the rationale for paying their D.C. associates less than what OMM is giving out?"

Listen dumbass, if you did any research or paid attention to bonuses in the last few years, you would know that Weil pays the same bonus across all offices. How could you possibly suggest the idea that Weil should pay a higher bonus in DC because whack ass OMM is paying a better. Since when do high end NYC law firms pay attention to what OMM is doing in DC? You are a huge cocksucker that doesnt know shit about the firms you write about.

all you douchebags with the "average people have it so much worse than you" horseshit, just STFU and go organize unions. regardless of how much the barrier to entry is for lawyers (depending on where you went to school, etc.) the fact remains that it's a 7 year process before you can even get started. that's a big opportunity cost investment, and the only thing that makes it economically worthwhile is that you supposedly make big money working for big law. when the firm doesn't make money, that's one thing, and we'll take our lumps. when the firm has a banner year by working us until we drop and then the partners pocket every cent of that extra production, we have reason to gripe: because of us, the people who "own" the business and thus bear the "risk" of capital loss didn't suffer at all. but because they're greedy, we did.

we need truckers and garbagemen and steel-plate stampers to have a running economy, but don't think for a second that any one of those guys who could get a better paying job wouldn't. the teamsters drive trucks because it's the best money they can get. so i'll sit here and whine about my decreased compensation, or i'll go to a teamster bar while they do THE EXACT SAME THING, and then in the end we'll all piss on the tools who think no one who makes more than minimum wage can complain about money.

45- Associates are not in the legal community?

Associates are just as important to Biglaw as partners and some of them will be partners while others will be the clients who seek legal services. The whole pyramid model doesn't work without associates. There is a reason firms spend exorbitant amounts of money on summer associte programs and recruiting. Perhaps associates don't have exit options right now as they did last year or 2 years ago. That will change soon. Why would a good bankruptcy associate work rediculous hours at Weil if he can work less and get paid more fir his work elsewhere. Weil could have been a place that law students and other associates wanted to come to but in the end all their talk about being well prepared to survive and do well in a recession is all talk.

Clearly I am just as greedy as any partner who took the opportunity to take a little more profit when CSM opened the door to do so. But partners should also consider the effect this will have on associate retention and recruitment - and it will when in a year from now associates vote with their feet. The only thing law firms sell their clients are the services of their attorneys. It should be important to Weil to have the best and the brightest. Weil had a chance to be at the top of the list in recruitment, and now they are just like every NYC shop. This firm could have paid skadden bonuses and still increased PPP over last year - associates will not soon forget that and when the time is right they will go to a place where their efforts at making the firm successful will be compensated at the top of the market.
-34

Merry Christmas to you too, 106.

WILL YOU PLEASE STOP PRAISING THE OMM BONUSES? IT'S EASY FOR THEM TO AWARD HIGHER BONUSES OUTSIDE NEW YORK WHEN ALL NON-NY OFFICES HAVE BONUS HOURS REQUIREMENTS AND NEW YORK DOES NOT!! HELLO... LET'S TAKE A GUESS AT HOW MANY OMM ASSOCIATES MET THEIR HOURS THIS YEAR... TRUST ME, OMM IS NOT PAYING OUT MORE THAN IT HAS IN PAST YEARS. I PROMISE YOU.

Whiny associates: "bla bla bla, I'm going to leave...though I have place to go...but you just wait! I'll leave as soon as I can...those headhunters busy calling all day can't possibly be deceiving me...I'm entitled to share in the firm profits even though I'm not an equity partner...bla bla bla"

Partners: "you whiny bitches with no prospect of making partner, don't let the door hit you on the way out."

109: "This firm could have paid Skadden bonuses and still increased PPP over last year."

How the hell do you know that? You just made that up. People just say shit on this board and everyone nods their heads.

and to you as well, 108, but not to the cocksucker who wrote the post.

so what is the jd news and from what office? my understanding is that jd had a very good year. have the comp letters come out?

so what is the jd news and from what office? my understanding is that jd had a very good year. have the comp letters come out?

nothing on jd chicago yet.

116=ditto.

Nothing in JD NYC yet.

so is the jd poster with the craptastic news really just full of crap? jd ny offices letters yet?

Associates: we want more money

Partners:

You must not know 'bout me
You must not know 'bout me
I could have another you in a minute
Matter fact, he'll be here in a minute

You must not know 'bout me
You must not know 'bout me
I can have another you by tomorrow
So don't you ever for a second get to thinkin'
You're irreplaceable

119=poster is likely full of crap(tastic)

The "I have $150K in student loans and live in NYC, so my salary still makes me poor" comment is nonsense. Tell that to the guys who didn't get Biglaw jobs and are chasing ambulences for $45K / year in Brooklyn... and still have the $150K in law school debt.

120 - Exception: Patent Associates. Booyah.

123, you 100% sure about that? Here's a little food for thought: Passage to India
http://www.law.com/jsp/cc/PubArticleCC.jsp?id=1202426634099

at least two JD offices that I know of have gotten their comp letters. in theory, other offices to follow shortly.

which two JD offices?

yeah, 125, why so coy?

The blame for all this lies squarely with Cravath, which knowingly lowballed Skadden to depress the market.

Latham tried the same thing and failed, but notice how only firms that have built up a lot of goodwill (Latham was considered the best firm to work for) or prestige (Cravath always paid a lot in prestige points) could even think of pulling this off.

Thus, if its any consolation, Latham is showing how firms can turn goodwill into cash, so maybe firms will continue to care about it's reputation among associates.

I know SF and SV got them today.

128,

One of them is in San Fernando Valley.

LOL @ 120. Sadly, so very true.

Thank you, Sweet Baby Jesus, for my BIGLAW offer, and for not relegating me to the cesspool of hopeless 3Ls who can't even land a gig with the Public Defender's office.

The day is nearly over. Firms better hurry up with bonus/compensatino announcements.

*farts*

*shits*

aww yeah

All quiet on the bonus front at K&E DC.

All quiet on the bonus front at K&E DC. C;mon sheppards!

All quiet on the bonus front at K&E DC. C'mon sheppards!

WHERE IS THE MONEY LEBOWSKI??????

137 = comment of the day

Linklaters represents the UK administrator to the insolvency proceedings and had been rumored by legal week to be making $2million in fees a week. Announce Cravath bonuses on Friday. Weak. Like weil.

lolcats @ weil bankruptcy associates

Suckers!! Any big law associates wondering where their bonuses went should talk to a plaintiffs attorney this year. Boo-yaa!

122: Guess what? sucks to be you!

I left OMM-DC to go to Weil this year because OMM's bonuses sucked, and now I'm getting screwed for the second year in a row. Next year, I'm just going to pad my hours by billing all my time reading Above the Law.

143, lol, why don't you lateral to Skadden so you can get a good bonus next year, since they had such a good bonus this year. I'm sure that is a winning strategy. While you're at it, why don't you buy some stocks that have done well in the past, since that obviously means they must be going up in the future.

128- You are quite possibly the biggest idiot on this board. The "blame" for all this rests on Cravath!?!? Are you serious? The blame for all this rests slightly with the economy, but the blame for each, individual firm's bonus structure rests on THAT individual firm. What kind of righteous idiot are you? You're pussy firm could have broken from the pack, but it didn't. No one to blame for yourself. Cravath at least had the balls to come out first saying what it was paying, and they could care less what your firm would do. Most firms did not do that well this year compared to years past, regardless of how many high profile cases or deals they were on. Look at law.com, Cravath and S&C are on TONS of deals too, that doesn't mean they HAD to keep bonuses at last year's (minnus special) levels. And for Weil, it's silly to think that just because a firm is getting some very high profile bankruptcy that it is doing very well. Bankruptcy is a VERY structured and highly regulated practice area that is NOT as lucrative as others. So yeah, Weil is representing a couple of huge bankrupt companies, but guess what, I'm sure it's corporate and litigation are in the shit because Weil is NOT on top of those markets. All the corporate and lit work in NY is going to the best of the best in those fields, aka Cravath, Skadden, Wachtell, S&C, and Paul Weiss. So all these firms are probably doing very similarly in terms of revenue and profits. Skadden paid a bit more this year, you can look at that as a good or bad thing, The rest paid less, probably a smart idea given the shitty year next year is gonna be. That;s it. Stop being whiny bitches who have no information to back up what they say. ASSOCIATES HAVE NO CLUE as to how well their firm is performing. Bottom line.

145 works at the Death Star

Impossible to undo the damage, but we can discourage it in the future. If you find yourself on a deal with Cravath, make things as difficult as possible. When their clients discover that engaging Cravath means pouring sand in the works, they'll find other counsel. If enough associates punish Cravath this time around, the next firm will think twice about "resetting" the market.