Associate Bonus Watch: Happy Campers At WilmerHale?

How were 2013 bonuses at WilmerHale?

It has been a while since we last covered bonuses at WilmerHale. For whatever reason, associates at the firm are generally tight-lipped on the subject. Given WH’s merit-based compensation system, perhaps bonuses are too individualized to be comfortably discussed.

What can be said about bonuses at WilmerHale? According to Chambers Associate, bonuses go to lawyers who bill 1900+ hours. According to responses to the ATL Insider Survey, these bonuses could be better: even though WilmerHale is a “great” firm with “wonderful” people, “[t]he ‘merit based’ compensation structure is a thinly veiled cost-saving measure.”

But are bonuses getting better at WilmerHale? Maybe….

(Please note the multiple UPDATES added to the end of this post.)

The firm distributed bonus letters last week, informing WilmerHale associates of their individualized bonuses under the firm’s merit-based compensation system. No firm-wide email went around.

We haven’t heard from many WH associates about their bonuses, but the ones we’ve heard from so far are actually happy. As one recipient of an above-market bonus told us, “Quite pleased — but not sure what the full bonus scale looks like.”

Sponsored

Neither do we. WilmerHale is not a paragon of compensation transparency. Some firms that issue individualized bonuses provide detailed information about amounts and distribution — see, e.g., Latham & Watkins — but Wilmer is not one of them.

So that’s all we can say for now about WH bonuses. If you have anything to add, please feel free to post in the comments, email us, or text us (646-820-8477). Thanks.

UPDATE (1/29/2014, 12:20 p.m.): A second tipster tells us, “The firm was extremely generous this year. My bonus was WELL above market.”

UPDATE (1/30/2014, 11:50 p.m.): According to a third source, “The firm reported that 41% of associates received a bonus above market. This included my bonus, which I was happy with.”

Earlier: ATL Law Firm Ratings: D.C. Edition

Sponsored


Bonus Time

Enter your email address to sign up for ATL's Bonus & Salary Increase Alerts.