March Madness, Perks / Fringe Benefits

ATL March Madness: Champion

We crown a champion perk.

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Yesterday, Jordan Spieth took a nearly insurmountable lead into the Masters and over the course of several hours… proved that lead was, in fact, insurmountable. And so it was for Bartlit Beck, whose offer to pick up the tab for its associates’ vacations really had no challengers throughout the competition.

Which of course it didn’t, because it outclassed every other perk in this competition from the moment we seeded the brackets. And yet, is it really all that great of a perk?

First a quick reminder about the program:

Our firm gives every associate an annual all-expenses paid “associate’s weekend.” Associates can take their significant other (or a friend) on a 4-day vacation, all paid for by the firm. The firm covers plane fare, hotel, meals and all activities for the weekend. Each associate gets to pick the place – anywhere in the lower 48. Post Ranch Inn? Amangani? The Plaza in New York? Mardi Gras? The U.S. Open? You name it. This unparalleled (as far as we know) perk allows associates to experience things we wouldn’t typically do for ourselves – rent a Ferrari for the weekend, play Pebble Beach, scalp Super Bowl tickets, order that bottle of over-the-top wine with dinner. And it’s a family affair. Associates can take the kids if they want, or if you decide to go without kids, the firm will pay for the babysitter.

Some people have questioned just how much does one of these vacations cost? Probably a couple thousand. Maybe 5 or 6 grand on the high end? That’s a nice gesture, but some merciless pragmatists out there say they’d rather just get another $3000 tacked onto their bonus and call it a day. There’s a certain logic at play there. Cut through the whimsy of a vacation and it’s just the firm compensating you in kind. “Straight cash homie” isn’t just a catchphrase, it’s a lifestyle. But this cynicism overlooks the implied perk that above and beyond footing the bill, the firm is guaranteeing vacation time for its lawyers.

As they’d say in a MasterCard commercial: priceless.

Congrats to Bartlit Beck for proving once again that it’s an awesome place to work — and an awesome place to take a break from. Let’s see if other firms decide to follow suit.

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