Associate Bonus Watch: Paul Weiss Matches

Bonuses have just been announced at Paul Weiss. The firm is matching what we’ll call the Cleary Gottlieb scale, which seems to be the most generous bonus schedule among the main-line law firms (i.e., excluding outliers like Boies Schiller and Wachtell Lipton).

The Cleary scale provides for (1) prorated bonuses for class of 2011 members and (2) a top payment of $42,500 for the most-senior lawyers (class of 2003 on up). We’re calling it the “Cleary scale” because some firms that pay a stub bonus to the class of 2011 top out at $37,500 (e.g., Milbank), and some firms that go all the way up to $42,500 don’t pay stub bonuses (e.g., Sullivan & Cromwell and Simpson Thacher).

(These are some pretty fine — and minor — distinctions. As Elie just grumpily remarked to me, “Remember when setting the market involved making it rain instead of figuring out if any pee got on the toilet seat?”)

In any event, it’s nice that Paul Weiss is taking care of its people at both the top and bottom of the seniority scale. Let’s look at the memo….

It was transmitted as an attachment to a firm-wide email sent out by firm chairman Brad Karp. Here it is:

PAUL WEISS RIFKIND WHARTON & GARRISON — MEMORANDUM — 2011 BONUS INFORMATION

From: Brad S. Karp
Date: 12/12/2011 04:21 PM
Subject: 2011 Bonus Information

Dear Associates and Counsel:

I’m attaching a memo setting forth the bonus information for 2011.

Thank you all for your extraordinary efforts this past year on behalf of our clients.

My very best wishes to you and your families for a happy holiday season.

Brad

Earlier: Associate Bonus Watch: Simpson Thacher and Cleary Matching S&C
Associate Bonus Watch 2011
Prior ATL bonus coverage