Associate Bonus Watch: Mo’ Money At MoFo

MORRISON & FOERSTER LLP — MEMORANDUM — 2016 ASSOCIATE BONUSES

From: “Nashelsky, Larren M.”
Date: February 9, 2017
Subject: 2016 Associate Bonuses/2017 Associate Compensation (U.S. Practice Attorneys)

To All Associates on the U.S. Compensation Structure Outside of New York:

Thank you for your work and your contributions to the Firm in 2016.   The Firm’s partners value your commitment to us, our clients, the Firm and each other.  I am happy to share with you today information on our 2016 bonuses and our 2017 base compensation structure.

2016 Associate Bonuses

Our 2016 bonus schedule for associates paid on the U.S. compensation scale is:

Class of 2016	$15,000 (prorated)
Class of 2015	$15,000
Class of 2014	$25,000
Class of 2013	$50,000
Class of 2012	$65,000
Class of 2011	$80,000
Class of 2010	$90,000
Class of 2009 (including prior years)	$100,000

The Firm will again pay an additional amount to those associates who had the busiest years— 2,500+ hours.  For 1^st through 3^rd year associates, the high hours bonus will be $5,000, and for 4^th year and more senior associates, it will be $10,000.

To qualify for a bonus, associates must have met their minimum 2016 legal service hours requirements¹ and, if evaluated, have performed at least at the level expected for their seniority level as stated in their evaluation, and have progressed with their class.

As you know, timely submission of timenotes is increasingly critical to our business.  As was the case last year, lawyers who consistently failed to comply with our timenote submission policy are receiving a lower bonus, and have already been, or will shortly be, notified of the amount of the reduction.

2016 associate bonuses will be paid as part of the February 15 payroll.²   Note that we are not planning to provide individual bonus memos to associates paid in conformity with the aforementioned scale.

2017 Associate Base Compensation

2017 associate base compensation for those on the U.S. compensation structure will be paid by salary class year, as shown below.

2017 Associate Base Compensation (U.S. Offices, U.S. Practice Attorneys)
2017 Year/ Seniority Level	2017 Salary Class	Base Compensation
1st	2016	$180,000
2nd	2015	$190,000
3rd	2014	$210,000
4th	2013	$235,000
5th	2012	$260,000
6th	2011	$280,000
7th	2010	$300,000
8th	2009	$315,000
9th+	2008 and earlier	$325,000

Questions

If you have questions after receiving your bonus, please contact Diana Lauritsen, Benefits and Compensation Manager, at [redacted]. I invite you to bring more general questions about bonuses or base compensation to the associate calls scheduled for February 13, for which you will receive a separate calendar invitation.

Thank you again for everything you do for the Firm.  I look forward to a productive and successful year.

__________________________________________

¹ If an associate’s hours minimum is prorated for any reason, including joining during the year, having a reduced-hours arrangement, or being on a paid or unpaid leave of absence during the year, applicable bonuses will be prorated accordingly.  However, an associate with a prorated hours minimum for a calendar year who achieves 100% of the hours expected of a full-time associate for the full calendar year will be eligible to receive 100% of the bonus paid to other full-time associates in his/her salary class, subject to any other conditions or criteria that may apply to such bonus.

² Payment dates may vary in some offices outside the United States.

Larren

Larren M. Nashelsky
Morrison & Foerster LLP

Earlier: Associate Bonus Watch: No Memo, No Problem

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David Lat is the founder and managing editor of Above the Law and the author of Supreme Ambitions: A Novel. He previously worked as a federal prosecutor in Newark, New Jersey; a litigation associate at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz; and a law clerk to Judge Diarmuid F. O’Scannlain of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. You can connect with David on Twitter (@DavidLat), LinkedIn, and Facebook, and you can reach him by email at [email protected].