Supreme Court Clerkship Bonuses

Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 04.20.15

* Here's a very important lesson for all of the lawyers reading this: thinking about work while you're on the way to work doesn't mean that you're actually working. This novel argument failed miserably for a Biglaw partner trying to get out of a huge insurance claim. [WSJ Law Blog] * Justice Scalia isn't very fond of the media's coverage of SCOTUS: "They don't like conservatives on the court, or anywhere else for that matter. They do a lousy job. You can't expect them to do a good job." Wow, tell us how you really feel. [Arkansas Online] * "Enough! Enough! Call Loretta Lynch for a vote. Get her confirmed. Put her in place. Let her do her job.” After months of watching his pick for attorney general wait around thanks to political gridlock, President Obama has finally had it with this sh*t. [New York Times] * Good news, associates! If you leave your law firm job for a Supreme Court clerkship, you'll likely still be able to receive that gigantic SCOTUS hiring bonus -- to the tune of $300,000 plus! -- if you return to the firm you left when it's over. [National Law Journal] * "Hard questions have to be asked at law schools whose modest reputations and forgiving admission standards do not ensure their graduates gainful employment." High LSAT scores are down, bar failure is up, and law schools still say it's not their fault. [Bloomberg]

By Staci Zaretsky
Biglaw

Supreme Court Clerk Bonuses Are Heading Higher

As in past years, many of the October Term 2010 Supreme Court law clerks are joining private law firms -- which welcome them with six-figure signing bonuses. These bonuses are paid on top of base salaries reflecting their seniority, as well as the usual year-end bonuses. For the past few years, law firm signing bonuses for members of The Elect have hovered around $250,000. But this year, at least a few firms are offering even more. So how much are we talking about?

By David Lat
Bonuses

SCOTUS Clerkship Bonus Watch: Still at $250K?

The National Law Journal suggests that the down economy could be hitting the pockets of the Elect. Some firms are suggesting that the $250,000 bonus to hire a former Supreme Court clerk is just too expensive in today’s economy: At firms that have been shaken by the downturn, however, a $250,000 bonus will be hard […]

By Elie Mystal
Biglaw

Supreme Court Clerk Bonuses to $250K?

In our recent New York Times op-ed piece praising lavish signing bonuses for Supreme Court clerks, we wrote that the bonuses “are expected to reach $250,000 this year — paid on top of starting salaries approaching $200,000.” Some people have inquired into the factual basis for our statement. As it turns out, we did some […]

By David Lat