Associate Salaries
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Associate Bonus Watch 2010, Associate Salaries, Biglaw, Bonuses, Killing Lockstep, Money, Sheppard Mullin
WilmerHale Brings Clarity to Its Merit-Based Compensation Program
The heady days of the “mutually assured destruction” approach to associate compensation by Biglaw firms are behind us. But some associates would still like to see how they are doing in comparison to their colleagues at other firms. A tipster recently wrote us: Can you do a post requesting commenters to post grade schedules a […] -
Associate Salaries
DLA Piper and the Long Road Back to $160K
It’s been a long, below-market salary road for DLA Piper associates. For over a year now, DLA has been screwing around with associate salaries. Yesterday the firm announced that it would be moving back to a $160K salary scale — at least in New York — by 2011. (If you know of other firms that […] - Sponsored
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Associate Salaries, Sheppard Mullin, Summer Associates
Sheppard Mullin 'Anomaly' Leaves First-Years Making Less Than Summer Associates
It’s pretty tough being a first-year associate these days. You’re working hard, you’re terrified of getting Lathamed, and you can’t even complain, because everybody thinks you should be grateful to have a job. But at least you don’t have to deal with bright and unbroken summer associates, rolling through your office with smoke billowing up […]
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Associate Salaries
Happy Friday to Our Friends at Bryan Cave: They're Getting a Raise Today
Things haven’t been easy for Bryan Cave and its associates during this recession. But today is a good day. There is no need for an A.K. Last night, we received word from tipsters that BC associates across most of the firm’s offices will be told that they are getting a raise: Bryan Cave announced to […] -
Associate Bonus Watch 2009, Associate Salaries, Bonuses, Killing Lockstep, Money, Salary Freeze
Nationwide Pay Raise Watch: Pillsbury Winthrop
Back in February, we wrote about various compensation developments over at Pillsbury Winthrop. At the time, the firm said it was considering moving away from a lockstep model in favor of a more performance-based compensation system. The firm has not yet killed killed lockstep — a move that has historically generated mixed to negative reviews […] -
Advertising, Associate Salaries, Biglaw, Career Center, Job Searches, Money, Shameless Plugs, This Is an Ad
Career Center: When Do You Get a Raise? Survey Results
Our recent Career Center survey asked about starting salaries and annual salary increases at firms across the country. Over 70% of respondents indicated that their firms increase salaries during the traditional month of January. About 8% percent of respondents, including associates at this Midwestern firm, see their salary increase in February. Another 9%, including associates […] -
Associate Salaries, Killing Lockstep
Nixon Peabody: This is What Salary Raises Look Like Without Lockstep
Nixon Peabody is one of the firms that has moved towards a merit-based pay structure. The firm also cut starting salaries down to $145K a year ago. So you’d think that any information on a Nixon Peabody salary raise would be greeted favorably. Not so much. A tipster tells us: I can confirm that I […] -
Associate Salaries, Career Center, Job Searches, Job Survey, Money, Shameless Plugs, This Is an Ad
Career Center: When Do You Get a Raise?
With all the salary freezes, thaws and permanent meltdowns over the past year, it’s hard to keep track of what associates at law firms are actually making these days. And associates are learning that an annual lock-step raise is no longer a sure thing under new compensation systems at many firms. This week our ATL […] - Sponsored
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Associate Salaries, Howrey LLP, Killing Lockstep
Will Law Firms Follow Howrey's Profit Diminishing Lead?
Last June, we reported that Howrey decided to make a big change to the law firm business model. The firm cut first year starting salaries to $100,000. In exchange, the first year program would involve a heavy emphasis on training. Associate billables would be capped at 700 hours and Howrey reduced the rates charged to […] -
Associate Salaries, Killing Lockstep, Layoffs
A Peek Inside the Winston & Strawn Black BoxAnd additional info on stealth layoffs.
Life outside of lockstep is like Forrest Gump’s box of chocolates: you never know what you’re going to get. A lockstep system for compensating and promoting associates has its drawbacks, to be sure. But at least it offers the virtues of transparency and predictability. Earlier this week, we covered the arguably amorphous definition of “merit” […] -
Associate Salaries, Killing Lockstep
DLA Piper Ends Experiment With Low Salaries
Back in December, DLA Piper decided to move to a merit based compensation system. Attendant to that move, the firms instituted a 10% pay cut, dropping starting salaries to $145,000. Despite widespread outrage among DLA associates, the firm repeatedly defended the move. Other Biglaw firms that moved away from lockstep would not follow DLA down […] -
Associate Salaries, Lawsuit of the Day
Lawsuit of the Day: Associate Takes Firm to Court Over Deferred Pay
Well, it’s about time. On April 13th, a small claims court in Florida will deal with a case where an associate is suing his former law firm over allegedly deferred compensation. Only $2,000 is at issue, but this is a battle of principle. The Daily Business Review (subscription) sets it up: The salary deferral imposed […] -
Associate Bonus Watch 2009, Associate Salaries
Mintz Levin: A Salary Thaw and PPP Info
During the recession, Mintz Levin froze associate salaries and deferred 2009 summer associates all the way until 2012. Not good times. But the recession is starting to lift its death grip on law firms and the lawyers who work there, and Mintz Levin is in the mood to share the wealth. We spoke with Mintz […]
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Associate Salaries, Biglaw
Kaye Scholer Shifts Pro Bono Associates Back to Doc ReviewAnd some reflections on the changing Biglaw business model.
An article in today’s New York Times, by former WSJ Law Blog writer Dan Slater, discusses changing law firm business models. Much of the piece covers ground that will be familiar to ATL readers. But the article contains some interesting new information about Kaye Scholer (where Slater once worked). According to the Times article, it […] -
Associate Salaries, Killing Lockstep, Salary Freeze
Nationwide Salary Watch: Morgan Lewis Raises Salaries
We have good news for Morgan, Lewis & Bockius associates. Salary information is in and most people are getting raises. True-up raises at that. The class of 2008 pulled the short straw, but everybody else seems relatively happy. A tipster reports: Please post that yesterday MLB essentially unfroze salaries (most ’08 grades only went up […] -
Associate Salaries
At Covington, It's Always Sunny in California. On the East Coast, Not So Much.
I’ve got some good news and some bad news. The good news: Covington & Burling is thawing out salaries in California. Yay! The bad news: Covington is keeping salaries frozen in D.C. Why? Because they can. Many tipsters report: FYI, Covington’s Management Committee informed the associates last Tuesday that it was increasing salaries (retroactive to […] -
Associate Bonus Watch 2009, Associate Salaries, Chapman and Cutler
Chapman and Cutler Brings Next Year's Bonus News Today
Late last week, Chicago based Chapman & Cutler released its 2009 bonus news. It’s not that impressive. But the firm also previewed what it will pay in bonuses for 2010. It’s … not that impressive. A tipster reports: [T]his year the vast majority of associates did not receive any bonus whatsoever. So apples to apples, […] -
Associate Salaries, Salary Cuts
Katten Salary Follow-Up: Pay Raise If You Hit Hours, Salary Cut If You Did Not
Last week, we told you that Katten Muchin was delaying its decision on associate salaries. The firm finally got around to telling people how much they’re paid this week, and we can see why there was a long delay. See, when you try to do 1,001 different things all that same time, it gets pretty […] -
Associate Salaries, Killing Lockstep, Sonnenschein
Sonnenschein's New Compensation Potpourri Starts to Take Shape
Back in December, Sonnenschein announced the outlines of its new merit-based compensation structure. At the time, the firm promised its associates more details in March. The firm is true to its word: we’re now in March, and we have more details. Above the Law talked with a spokesperson for Sonnenschein. Here’s the top line news: […] -
Associate Salaries
Katten: Why Can't You Set 2010 Salaries Already?
It’s March and Katten Muchin is coming into it like a very meek lamb. The firm froze salaries in 2009. So far in 2010, it has sent a series of memos trying to explain why it can’t get its act together. A tipster reports: You may recall that most associates had their salaries frozen and […]