As the year comes to a close, it’s time to reflect on past decisions and, hopefully, learn from them. And while Gibson Dunn may have to sit in the corner and think about its “opacity and gamesmanship” for a while, the firm can make amends for at least one past failing right now.
Gibson Dunn announced its bonuses this year and opted not to screw over its associates, a move they tried last year before being shamed into coming up to meet the market. If you’ve forgotten, Gibson paid the market “Davis Polk scale” to its New York associates last year, but many of its West Coast associates were initially stuck with the lower “Simpson scale” bonuses. To say the associates were peeved would be an understatement. As we noted at the time:
So a firm that hands out Simpson bonuses to many of its lawyers this week, fully aware that the rest of Biglaw moved on to bigger and better things… well, that’s like giving out GoBots when you know Transformers exist.
Managing Partners are Navigating the AI Inflection Point.
New executive research from Ari Kaplan explores how law firm leaders are responding to changing client expectations, evolving economics, talent transformation, and AI governance.
But Gibson heard its associates and rectified the situation within a fortnight after the initial disappointment.
So it comes as no surprise that Gibson isn’t going to make that mistake again. We’ve not gotten a ton of tips, but based on what we have received, it seems Gibson has met the Cravath scale — at least for associates who met their hours and received positive reviews:
Smaller California office. Barely met hours, got a great review, and a market bonus. Firm seems committed to not having the issue it had last year. Pretty pleased here.
Good for Gibson Dunn. We all make mistakes. Sometimes you shortchange some associates, sometimes you fail to retain notes and transcripts and recordings of 75 witness interviews as part of a “calculated strategy” of obfuscation. In either event, the best practice is to avoid the mistake next time.
AI Is Reshaping Legal Practice—But Tools Aren’t The Real Differentiator.
Explore the mindset, cultural shifts, and training strategies that define the AI‑savvy lawyer, revealing why human judgment, standardized competence, and integrated learning—not technology alone—will shape the future of the profession.
Gibson Dunn Used ‘Opacity and Gamesmanship,’ Judge Says [Big Law Business / Bloomberg BNA]
Earlier: Associate Bonus Watch: Which Biglaw Firm Is Shortchanging Its Associates?
Associate Bonus Watch: Gibson Dunn Upgrades Its Bonuses