Coming in just under the work week radar, we have another Boston raise.
In a late afternoon memo from managing partners Charles Cheever and Bill Gelnaw, Choate Hall informed its attorneys that they too would be bumping up salaries “consistent with recent market changes” on July 1. The memo specifically cites a $180K salary for the newbies. Where the scale goes from there is not defined. Each associate will receive an individual memo later, so if we start hearing of inconsistencies with the full scale, we’ll update accordingly.
In a wrinkle specific to Choate’s noted IP expertise, Cheever and Gelnaw note that they haven’t yet decided what to do with salaries for the firm’s staff scientists and patent agents — critical employees in the IP world. It’s an angle I hadn’t considered until now, but IP firms do employ specialized staff that contribute to the firm’s work, and at a certain point they might not want salaries to get too out of balance.
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Also under consideration is the firm’s handling of “lawyers who are on special arrangements.” Undoubtedly this deals with part-time lawyers or something like that, but we’re going to pretend Choate Hall has at least one associate seconded with the CIA infiltrating COBRA or KAOS because it’s Friday and this is the 300th salary increase post so it could use a little spice.
In the meantime, congratulations to the Choate Hall attorneys, and good luck to the scientists and patent agents!
Check out the full memo on the next page…
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Joe Patrice is an 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 if you’re interested in law, politics, and a healthy dose of college sports news.