Cadwalader hasn’t enjoyed the smoothest 2025.
Key partners defected, the firm announced a snap leadership shakeup, and finally admitted they’re looking for a merger proposal with Alston & Bird. And that “Trump administration capitulation” story didn’t help. But, as the year winds down, firm lawyers can look past 2025 and comfort themselves with a tidy bonus match.
At 6:02, the co-managing partners sent out the memo laying out the following baseline bonuses:
Class Year Year-End Bonus Class of 2025 $15,000 (pro-rated) Class of 2024 $20,000 Class of 2023 $30,000 Class of 2022 $57,500 Class of 2021 $75,000 Class of 2020 $90,000 Class of 2019 $105,000 Class of 2018 and 2017 $115,000 For those recording 2200 hours or more throughout the year, their year-end bonus will be 120% of the amounts listed above.
But that’s not all. Cadwalader is also matching special bonuses according to the below schedule.
Year Special Bonus Class of 2025 $6,000 (pro-rated) Class of 2024 $6,000 Class of 2023 $10,000 Class of 2022 $15,000 Class of 2021 $20,000 Class of 2020 $25,000 Class of 2019 $25,000 Class of 2018 and 2017 $25,000
The bonuses will be paid out by the last February pay period.
Not bad for a firm potentially going to the (Alston &) Birds.
(Full memo on the next page.)
Joe Patrice is a senior editor at Above the Law and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. Feel free to email any tips, questions, or comments. Follow him on Twitter or Bluesky if you’re interested in law, politics, and a healthy dose of college sports news. Joe also serves as a Managing Director at RPN Executive Search.