Category: News Feeds

Ed.
Note:
Welcome
to
our
daily
feature

Trivia
Question
of
the
Day!

According
to
the
Princeton
Review’s
2024
Best
Law
School
Rankings,
which
law
school
is
the
toughest
to
get
into?

Hint:
Every
year,
the
law
school
enrolls
a
class
of
~200
1Ls.

See
the
answer
on
the
next
page.

Pardongate!
It’s
the
biggest
story
ever!
The
major
papers
are
still
chewing
over
it,
with
several
front-page
stories
at
both
the
New
York
Times
and
the
Washington
Post.

Has
President
Biden
disgraced
his
office?
Is
his
legacy
ruined?
Is
this
an
unfortunate
but
necessary
response
to
Trump’s
plan
to
put
a
deranged
lunatic
who
has
vowed
to
prosecute
Hunter
Biden
in
charge
of
the
FBI?
(Yes.)
Will
this
now
embolden
Trump
to
pardon
all
the
January
6
defendants,
as
he’s
been
promising
to
do
for
a
year
now?
(GFYS.)

But
Joe
Manchin
will
slay
all
comers.
The
retiring
West
Virginia
senator
has
once
again
come
up
with
the
dumbest
take
of
all.

“As
a
father,
I
would
have
done
the
same
thing,”
Manchin
told
CNN’s
Manu
Raju.
“What
I
would
have
done
differently,
my
recommendation
as
counsel
would
have
been,
why
don’t
you
go
ahead
and
pardon
Donald
Trump
for
all
his
charges?
Make
it
—
you
know,
it
would
have
gone
down
a
lot
more
balanced
if
you
will.”

Even
that
guy
sounds
exhausted
by
his
own
bullshit.

On
the
one
hand,
the
Supreme
Court
of
the
United
States
made
good
and
goddamn
sure
that
Donald
Trump
would
never
face
trial
for
plotting
a
coup.
Judge
Aileen
Cannon
ensured
that
he
could
steal
classified
documents
and
stack
them
up
in
the
shower
with
impunity
by

discovering
that
special
counsels
are

illegal.
And,
after
demanding
that
his
sentencing
in
New
York
for
creating
false
business
records
be
postponed
until
after
the
election
to
avoid
the
appearance
of
political
interference,
he’s
now
going
to
avoid
justice
at
all
because
he
managed
to
win.

On
the
other
hand,
an
addict
who
paid
his
taxes
late
and

broke
a
law
the
Fifth
Circuit
says
is
unconstitutional
was
going
to
go
to
jail
while
Republicans
spend
another
four
years
poring
over
his
stolen
dick
pics
and
trying
to
frame
him
for
some
kind
of
bribery
scheme
so
complicated
it
left
no
record
at
all.

And
so
President
Biden
could
have
avoided
the
appearance
of
nepotism
by
condoning
the
coming
assault
on
democracy.
For
balance!

And
if
you
can’t
trust
the
man
who

killed
the
wildly
popular
child
tax
credit
because
he
thought
parents
might

buy
drugs
instead
of
feeding
their
kids,
who
can
you
trust!

---

Liz
Dye
lives
in
Baltimore
where
she
produces
the
Law
and
Chaos

substack and podcast.

Ed.
note:
Welcome
to
our
daily
feature,

Quote
of
the
Day.

We
did
our
research
and
couldn’t
find
any
other
Big
Law
firms
out
there.
…
We
were
thinking
it
would
be
a
great
way
to
pull
back
the
curtain
on
Big
Law
and
appeal
to
recruits
and
clients
of
the
younger
generation.
And
we
thought
TikTok
is
so
relatable
with
the
videos
and
how
they’re
not
overly
produced,
so
we
thought
we
could
really
show
off
our
culture.

We
definitely
got
feedback
from
some
recruits
and
some
folks
who
onboarded
with
us.
People
want
to
see
what
culture
they’re
joining
and
see
behind
the
curtain,
so
to
speak.
…
It
resonates
with
law
students
or
new
associates,
and
frankly
the
engagement
and
metrics
we
see
back
that
up.

—
Stephanie
Dorssom,
senior
manager
of
channel
marketing
at
Husch
Blackwell,
in
comments
given
to
the

American
Lawyer,
on
the
firm’s
content
launch
on
TikTok.
Thus
far,
Husch
Blackwell’s
most
viewed
video
has
about
27,000
views,
and
it’s
about
whether
lawyers
should
use
one
or
two
spaces
after
a
period.
Six
years
have
passed,
and
only
a
handful
of
Am
Law
200
firms
—
including
Hogan
Lovells,
Bracewell,
Clark
Hill,
and
Husch
Blackwell
—
are
using
TikTok.

---

Staci
Zaretsky is
a
senior
editor
at
Above
the
Law,
where
she’s
worked
since
2011.
She’d
love
to
hear
from
you,
so
please
feel
free
to

email
her
with
any
tips,
questions,
comments,
or
critiques.
You
can
follow
her
on

X/Twitter
and

Threads
or
connect
with
her
on

LinkedIn.

Like
all
Biglaw
firms,
Kirkland
&
Ellis
pours
resources
into
its
pro
bono
efforts.
And
though
attorneys
have
an
opportunity
to
expand
their
legal
acumen
through
the
program,
its
not
everyday
attorneys
get
to
actually
bond
with
their
clients.

One
of
Kirkland’s
pro
bono
clients
is

The
Brave
House.
It’s
a
NYC-based
non-profit
that
works
with
immigrant
and
refugee
girls
and
young
women,
with
a
focus
on
survivors
of
gender-based
violence.
They
use
a
holistic
model
that
offers
free
legal
aid,
educational
and
job
advocacy,
leadership
training,
mental
health
services,
and
community
events—all
within
a
safe
and
supportive
environment
built
on
friendship,
resilience,
and
trust.
Last
month,
the
firm
hosted
an
event
to
bring
together
the
members
of
Brave
House
and
the
attorneys
that
work
on
their
behalf.

The
event
was
a
signature
of
The
Brave
House
—
called

I
Know
Her,
that’s
designed
to
make
networking
events
fun.

One
of
our
signature
programs,

I
Know
Her,
is
a
fun
and
inclusive
networking
event
designed
to
make
networking
approachable
and
accessible.
The
evening
includes
a
hands-on
training
session
followed
by
guided
activities
such
as
speed-dating,
discussion
groups,
and
a
platform
where
our
members
can
get
on
the
mic
and
ask
for
connections,
advice,
or
mentorship
to
help
achieve
their
goals.
Networking
is
a
skill
that
isn’t
typically
taught,
so
we
aim
to
provide
a
welcoming
space
where
members
can
learn
concrete
strategies,
practice
them,
and
connect
with
our
network
of
volunteers
who
are
eager
to
give
back.

I
attended
the
November
14th
event,
and
I
have
to
say
—
it
was
actually
a
good
time.
Networking
often
feels
like
a
necessary
evil
for
professional
growth,
but
the
folks
at
Brave
House
turned
the
concept
on
its
head
and
made
everyone
feel
welcome.

Victoria
J.
Ryan,
Partner
at
Kirkland
and
Brave
House
Board
Member,
said,
“It’s
such
a
unique
opportunity
for
us
as
attorneys
to
get
to
know
our
pro
bono
clients
in
a
new,
more
personal
way
by
hosting
the
Brave
House
and
its
members
for
this
event.
It’s
so
important
to
engage
with
our
neighbors
here
in
New
York
City
and
I
am
grateful
to
be
able
to
work
with
The
Brave
House
and
share
that
relationship
with
my
colleagues
at
Kirkland
&
Ellis.”

While
Lauren
Blodgett,
Executive
Director
&
Founder
of
The
Brave
House,
noted
how
special
the
event
was,
“Hosting

I
Know
Her
at
Kirkland
&
Ellis,
one
of
our
dedicated
pro
bono
partners,
was
especially
meaningful.
Many
of
our
members
are
aspiring
lawyers
or
are
interested
in
legal
careers,
and
this
event
allowed
them
to
practice
networking
in
a
space
directly
aligned
with
their
dreams.
It’s
an
honor
and
joy
to
connect
our
members
with
tailored,
dignified
resources
like
these,
and
we
look
forward
to
creating
more
opportunities
like
this
in
the
future.
If
you’re
interested
in
partnering
with
us,
we’d
love
to
hear
from
you!”

If
you’re
interested
in
spending
some
of
your
hard-earned
bonus
money
supporting
this
worth
cause
on
Giving
Tuesday,
you
can

do
so
here.

---

Kathryn
Rubino
is
a
Senior
Editor
at
Above
the
Law,
host
of

The
Jabot
podcast,
and
co-host
of

Thinking
Like
A
Lawyer.
AtL
tipsters
are
the
best,
so
please
connect
with
her.
Feel
free
to
email

her
with
any
tips,
questions,
or
comments
and
follow
her
on
Twitter

@Kathryn1 or
Mastodon

@[email protected].

Dinesh
D’Souza
has
made
a
career
out
of
loathsomeness.

From
his
days
at
Dartmouth
College
where
he
gleefully

outed
gay
students
in
the
conservative
newsletter,
to

taunting
the
survivors
of
the
Parkville
School
shooting
on
Twitter
that
the
failure
of
an
assault
weapons
ban
was
“the
worst
news
since
their
parents
told
them
to
get
summer
jobs,”
D’Souza
has
monetized
trolling
with
spectacular
success.
He
even
managed
to
get
himself
indicted
in
the

dumbest
straw
donor
scheme
ever,
parlaying
his

guilty
plea
into
a
career
as
a
professional
martyr
of
the
Obama
administration,
with
an
eventual
Trump
pardon.

Aside
from
that
little
campaign
finance
hiccup,
D’Souza
went
through
life
spewing
lies
and
vitriol
with
virtually
no
negative
consequences.

Well,
there
was
that
time
he
got

un-presidented
from
King’s
College
after
shacking
up
at
a
Christian
conference
with
a
lady
who
was
not
his
wife
and
introducing
her
as
his
fiancee.
But
other
than
that!

And
so
it
probably
never
occurred
to
D’Souza
that
putting
out
a
“documentary”
purporting
to
prove
that
a
vast
network
of
“ballot
mules”
took
advantage
of
drop
boxes
to
cast
hundreds
of
thousands
of
fraudulent
votes
in
2020
might
come
back
to
bite
him.

The
film
“2000
Mules”
was
a
spectacularly
boring
89
minutes
of
D’Souza
and
his
wife
squinting
into
a
laptop
and
exclaiming
“Wow!”
over
and
over,
as
two

charlatans
from
the

wingnut
welfare
outfit
True
the
Vote
spewed
jargon
about
geolocation
data.
The
“evidence”
consisted
of
bulk-purchased
cellphone
records
showing
the
same
phones
appearing
near
ballot
dropboxes
repeatedly
—
no
surprise,
since
the
boxes
were
located
in
churches
and
government
buildings
—
interspersed
with
grainy
security
footage
of
the
same
two
guys
casting
their
ballots
on
loop
as
D’Souza
spewed
false
claims
accusing
them
of
being
“mules.”
At
the
end
of
the
movie,
a
previously
skeptical
panel
including

Dennis
Prager,
Charlie
Kirk,
Sebastian
Gorka,
Eric
Metaxas,
and
Larry
Elder
pronounced
themselves
convinced.
And
if
you
can
persuade
that
brain
trust…

The
movie
was
immediately

debunked,
with
the
publisher
Regnery

pulping
the
first
draft
of
the
companion
book
by
D’Souza
after
shipping
because
it
defamed
a
bunch
of
non-profits
by
calling
them
ballot
“stash
houses.”
And
then
in
2022,
D’Souza,
along
with
True
the
Vote,
Regnery,
and
Salem
Media
(which
distributed
the
film)
found
themselves
on
the
pointy
end
of
a
lawsuit
by
one
of
the
supposed
“mules”
whose
image
had
been
used
in
the
film.
Because
it
turned
out
that
Mark
Andrews
was
legally
casting
ballots
for
himself,
his
wife,
and
his
adult
children
who
lived
at
home
with
him.
And
five
minutes
after
D’Souza
showed
his
face,
Andrews
and
his
family
started
getting
harassed
by
people
who
believed
he’d
stolen
the
election
for
Biden.

Judge
Stephen
Grimberg,
a
Trump
appointee
to
the
Northern
District
of
Georgia,

denied
the
defendants’
motion
to
dismiss
in
September
of
2023,
and
discovery
seems
to
have
concentrated
the
mind
of
some
parties.
In
May,
Salem
tapped
out,
putting
out
a

statement
apologizing
for
“the
hurt
the
inclusion
of
Mr.
Andrews’
image
in
the
movie,
book,
and
promotional
materials
have
caused
Mr.
Andrews
and
his
family.”
They
promised
to
take
the
movie
out
of
distribution
and
keep
Andrews’
name
out
of
their
mouths
in
perpetuity,
after
which
they
were
dropped
from
the
suit.

And
now
D’Souza
himself
has
decided
that
being
sued
is
no
fun
at
all.

“We
recently
learned
that
surveillance
videos
used
in
the
film
may
not
have
actually
been
correlated
with
the
geolocation
data,”
he

admitted
on
his
media
company’s
website
earlier
this
week,
blaming
True
the
Vote
entirely
for
the
mixup.

“I
know
that
the
film
and
my
book
create
the
impression
that
these
individuals
were
mules
that
had
been
identified
as
suspected
ballot
harvesters
based
on
their
geotracked
cell
phone
data.
While
all
of
these
individuals’
images
were
blurred
and
unrecognizable,
one
of
the
individuals
has
since
come
forward
publicly
and
has
initiated
a
lawsuit
over
the
use
of
his
blurred
image
in
the
film
and
the
book,”
he
said.
“I
owe
this
individual,
Mark
Andrews,
an
apology.”

That
was

not
entirely
accurate, if
you
can
even
believe
it.
The
film
itself
blurred
Andrews’
face
and
license
plate,
but
the
promotional
clips
aired
on
Tucker
Carlson’s
Fox
Show
and
Charlie
Kirk’s
broadcast
were
not.

D’Souza
defended
“the
accuracy
of
the
general
proposition
of
‘2000
Mules,’”
insisting
that
“a
leading
Democratic
organizer,”
had
recently
“admitted
to
an
undercover
journalist
that
the
premise
of
‘2000
Mules’
is
accurate.”
The
organizer
is
not
named,
and
the
link
to
this
supposed
admission
is
not
included.
Nor
did
he
explain
why
Democrats
failed
to
fire
up
the
fraud
cannon
in
2024,
if
they
were
so
successful
the
last
time
around.

D’Souza
concludes
by
insisting
that
the
apology
comes
“not
under
the
terms
of
a
settlement
agreement
or
other
duress,
but
because
it
is
the
right
thing
to
do,
given
what
we
have
now
learned.”

Sure,
thing,
dude.

---

Liz
Dye
lives
in
Baltimore
where
she
produces
the
Law
and
Chaos

substack and podcast.

Most
of
us
are
familiar
with
the
old
adage,
“Choose
a
job
you
love,
and
you
will
never
have
to
work
a
day
in
your
life.”
Lucky
for
me,
I
love
being
an
attorney.
From
my
very
first
experience
as
a
Biglaw
associate
(over
27
years
ago),
I
knew
with
certainty
that
practicing
law
was
the
right
choice.
However,
early
on,
I
began
to
question
the
personal
sacrifices
that
seemed
to
go
along
with
this
career
path.
I
could
see
the
toll
being
paid
by
those
senior
to
me
–
even
the
equity
partners
–
who
were
in
the
office
until
8
p.m.,
10
p.m.,
or
even
after
midnight
almost
every
night.
The
obvious
lack
of
work-life
balance
was
my
tell-tale,
and
I
decided
to
choose
a
different
path
by
going
in-house.
Imagine
my
reaction,
then,
when
I
realized
that
attorney
burnout
was
also
an
issue
in
that
environment.
As
GC
of
a
public
company,
I
found
myself
working
countless
hours,
taking
calls
well
into
the
night,
and
juggling
the
pressure
to
“do
it
all”
in
the
name
of
cost
savings.
Once
again,
work
was
impacting
other
important
priorities
in
my
life
(especially
my
young
family),
as
well
as
my
well-being
and
enjoyment
of
the
practice
of
law.

Love
the
work,
hate
the
job

Unfortunately,
my
experience
is
not
unique.
For
years
now,
studies
consistently
have
shown
that
the
legal
profession
can
be
grueling
both
for
law
firm
attorneys
and
in-house
legal
teams.
Research
conducted
by
industry
leaders
like
the

International
Bar
Association,

American
Bar
Association,

The
American
Lawyer,

Yale
Law
Professors,

the
Hazelden
Betty
Ford
Foundation,
and
the

Institute
for
Well-Being
in
Law
have
resulted
in
numerous
publications
on
this
topic,
all
of
which
cite
unreasonable
demands,
feelings
of
isolation,
and
a
lack
of
control
over
one’s
personal
life
as
possible
causal
factors,
among
others.
What
is
worse
is
the
fact
that
these
feelings
have
been
tied
to
poor
physical
and
mental
health,
high
rates
of
substance
abuse
and
suicide,
and
decisions
to
abandon
the
profession
entirely.
Industry
leaders
are
taking
notice.
Just
this
year,
the
Association
of
Corporate
Counsel
has
published
a

“Well-Being
Toolkit
for
In-House
Lawyers.”

The
business
impact
of
attorney
burnout
is
equally
troubling.
For
example,
talent
retention
has
become
a
real
challenge
for
law
firms
and
in-house
legal
departments.
When
a
lawyer
decides
to
leave,
the
costs
associated
with
their
departure
are
significant.
Previous
investments
in
their
professional
development
are
essentially
lost,
workload
reassignments
add
further
strain
on
existing
staff,
and
client
work
can
suffer
from
lack
of
continuity.
Although
recent
strides
in
mental
health
awareness
have
made
it
easier
for
attorneys
to
seek
help,
much
has
remained
the
same.
Case
in
point
–
overzealous
billable
hour
requirements
are
still
the
foundation
of
most
traditional
law
firm
business
models,
resulting
in
tremendous
pressure
to
produce
and
to
do
so
perfectly.

Finding
a
way
forward

In
order
to
address
what
ails
the
legal
profession,
change
has
to
come
from
the
top
and
the
culture
has
to
be
wholly
amended.
Fortunately,
innovative
law
firms
like
OGC
have
emerged,
offering
an
appealing
alternative
to
the
traditional
legal
business
model.
When
I
joined
OGC
in
2015,
the
notion
of
work-life
balance
was
not
merely
a
lofty
ideal;
it
was
and
still
is
a
core
value
of
the
firm.
Our
business
model
embodies
this
value
by
allowing
attorneys
to
choose
how
and
when
they
work
(no
billable
hour
demands).
This
autonomy
has
been
a
game-changer;
and,
as
we
say,
it
is
a
big
reason
why
OGC
is
an

Easy
to
Work
For
(#ETWF)
law
firm.

Because
our
attorneys
love
what
they
do

and
are
happy
doing
it,
our
model
also
offers
tremendous
benefits
to
clients.
One
of
these
benefits
is
relief
from
the
burnout
dangers
outlined
above,
which
we
do
by
serving
as
an
additional
resource
that
our
clients’
legal
departments
can
leverage
when
needed
most.
This
is
particularly
valuable
when,
despite
tight
budgets
and
light
staffing,
they
still
need
to
turn
work
around
quickly
and
have
matters
done
right
the
first
time.
That
extra
help
can
make
all
the
difference.
Simply
engaging
us
to
do
what
we
do
best
can
reinvigorate
legal
department
staff.
It
also
enables
our
clients
to
exhibit
(at
least
in
one
significant
way)
a
definitive
commitment
to
maintaining
valuable
wellness
practices,
raising
awareness
of
burnout-related
issues
and
fostering
an
environment
where
attorneys
really
want
to
work,
thereby
helping
them
to
do
their
best
work
while
keeping
that
bottom
line
in
check.

---

A
partner
at
OGC,
Kristin
Kreuder
has
over
25
years
of
experience
working
with
both
public
and
private
companies
of
all
sizes
(from
start-ups
to
well-seasoned
corporate
giants),
as
well
as
individual
entrepreneurs.
She
regularly
handles
a
wide
range
of
legal
matters,
including
the
analysis,
structure,
drafting
and
negotiation
of
a
comprehensive
variety
of
agreements
related
to
commercial
transactions,
M&A,
financing
and
private
equity
transactions,
venture
capital,
licensing,
marketing
and
sponsorship
(including
IP/content/software),
and
general
corporate
issues.

Since
we
broke
the
news
of
the
market
bonus
scale
for
associates
at
large
law
firms
in
the
United
States
—
a
trend
that
was
started
by

Milbank
on
Monday,
November
11,
2024,
and
finally
followed
by

Cravath
on
Tuesday,
November
19,
2024,
including
Milbank’s

special
summer
bonuses
—
firms
are
falling
in
line
to
match
the
scale.
When
will
your
firm
announce
its
bonuses?

Today,
for
your
viewing
pleasure,
we
unveil
a
table
of
all
of
the
firms
that
have
already
matched
the
bonus
scale,
the
date
those
matches
were
made,
the
minimum
hours
required
to
receive
bonuses
(if
available),
and
the
date
bonuses
will
be
paid.
We
will
be
updating
this
table
on
a
daily
basis,
sometimes
multiple
times,
as
news
on
bonuses
unfolds.
If
you
see
any
information
here
that
is
incorrect
or
needs
clarification,
let
us
know.

We
are
covering
this
trend
extensively,
so
please
drop
us
a
line
—
text
(646-820-8477)
or email (subject
line:
“[Firm
Name]
Matches”)
—
when
you
know
of
a
firm
making
a
compensation
move.
Please
include
the
memo
if
available.
You
can
take
a
photo
of
the
memo
and
send
it
via
text
or
email
if
you
don’t
want
to
forward
the
original
PDF
or
Word
file.
Sources
are
kept
confidential.

Don’t
forget,
if
you’d
like
to
sign
up
for
ATL’s
Bonus
Alerts,
please
enter
your
email
address
in
the
box
below.
If
you
previously
signed
up
for
the
bonus
alerts,
you
don’t
need
to
do
anything.
You’ll
receive
an
email
notification
within
minutes
of
each
compensation
announcement
that
we
publish.
Cheers
to
a
happy
bonus
and
raise
season,
everyone!

Firm	Date Matched	Minimum Hours	Payout Date
Milbank Class of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated) Class of 2016: $115K / $25K	FIRST MOVER November 11, 2024	None	On or before December 31, 2024
Vartabedian Hester & Haynes Class of 2024: $15K / $6K Class of 2016: $115K / $25K	November 13, 2024	1800 hours	On or before December 31, 2024
Cravath Class of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated) Class of 2017: $115K / $25K	November 19, 2024	None	December 13, 2024
Paul Hastings Class of 2023: $20K / $6K Class of 2017+: $115K / $25K	November 20, 2024	2000 hours	February 14, 2025
Ropes & Gray Class of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated) Class of 2016+: $130K / $25K	November 20, 2024	1900 creditable hours (increased bonuses for associates who annualized above hourly target)	December 24, 2024
McDermott Will & Emery Class of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated) Class of 2017+: $115K / $25K	November 20, 2024	2000 hours (merit bonuses available for eligible associates; “two-thirds” of associates will see bonuses above market)	December 27, 2024
Cleary Class of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated) Class of 2017+: $115K / $25K	November 21, 2024	None	December 20, 2024
Paul Weiss Class of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated) Class of 2017+: $115K / $25K	November 21, 2024	None	December 20, 2024
Dechert Class of 2023: $20K / $6K Class of 2017+: $115K / $25K	November 21, 2024	1950 hours (client billable, pro bono, firm as client, maximum of 50 community hours); associates who exceeded hours expectations eligible to receive an “extraordinary” bonus (i.e., 2200 hours = addt’l 30%; 2400+ hours = addt’l 40%)	By or before end of January 2025
O’Melveny Class of 2024: $6K (prorated) Class of 2017+: $115K / $25K	November 21, 2024	None	Undisclosed
Holwell Shuster Class of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated) Class of 2017+: $115K / $25K	November 21, 2024	None	On or before December 31, 2024
Davis Polk Class of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated) Class of 2017+: $115K / $25K	November 22, 2024	None	December 27, 2024
Weil Gotshal Class of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated) Class of 2017+: $115K / $25K	November 22, 2024	None	January 31, 2025
White & Case Class of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated) Class of 2017: $115K / $25K	November 22, 2024	Eligibility criteria detailed in separate memo	February 14, 2025
Skadden Class of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated) Class of 2017+: $115K or $125K / $25K	November 22, 2024	1800 “productive hours” (including unlimited pro bono time and up to 150 hours of productive non-billable work)	December 13, 2024
Cadwalader Class of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated) Class of 2016: $115K / $25K	November 22, 2024	Additional bonuses “equal to 120% of [market bonuses]” for high billers with 2200 hours or more	By or before end of February 2025
Proskauer Class of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated) Class of 2016: $115K / $25K	November 22, 2024	None	On or before December 24, 2024
Schulte Roth & Zabel Class of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated) Class of 2017+: $115K / $25K	November 22, 2024	2000 hours; step-up bonuses from $3K to $51.75K for associates who have made “extraordinary contributions” to the firm)	January 27, 2025
Covington Class of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated) Class of 2017+: $115K / $25K	November 22, 2024	2000 hours; (associates will see a 10% bonus increase at 2200 hours, and another 10% bonus increase 2400 hours)	January 2025
Willkie Farr Class of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated) Class of 2017+: $115K / $25K	November 22, 2024	None	December 31, 2024
Akin Class of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated) Class of 2017+: $115K / $25K	November 22, 2024	1950 hours (including pro bono hours, general counsel hours, business development hours, and up to 100 hours of time spent on recruiting, diversity & inclusion, and/or innovation activities); associates with “exceptional” performance will receive larger bonuses	February 2025
Sidley Class of 2023: $20K / $6K Class of 2016: $115K / $25K	November 25, 2024	2000 hours required for base bonuses; associates with “higher productivity and/or exceptional performance” will receive additional bonuses, up to “more than 50% above base bonus”	Prior to December 31, 2024
Baker Botts Class of 2023: $20K / $6K Class of 2017+: $115K / $25K	November 25, 2024	Based on hours (“enhanced” bonuses available for “exceptional” performance)	Undisclosed
A&O Shearman Class of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated) Class of 2017+: $115K / $25K	November 25, 2024	Undisclosed	Undisclosed
Katten Muchin Class of 2023: $20K / $6K Class of 2017+: $115K / $25K	November 25, 2024	2000 hours (2100 hours for $22K-$126.5K; 2200 hours for $24K-$138K; 2300 hours for $26.5K-$149.5K; 2400 hours for $31K-$172.5K); additional “superstar” bonuses available	February 3, 2025
Vinson & Elkins Class of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated) Class of 2017+: $115K / $25K	November 25, 2024	Based on hours and good standing; “supplemental bonuses” available for associates who had an “exemplary year”	On or about January 31, 2025
Debevoise Class of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated) Class of 2017+: $115K / $25K	November 26, 2024	None	Undisclosed
Clifford Chance Class of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated) Class of 2017+: $115K / $25K	November 26, 2024	None (based on overall performance, quality of work, contributions to firm, teamwork, and pro bono)	January 15, 2025
Mayer Brown Class of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated) Class of 2017+: $115K / $25K	November 26, 2024	2000 hours; associates eligible for addt’l bonuses based on performance	February 28, 2025
Gibson Dunn Class of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated) Class of 2017: $115K / $25K	November 27, 2024	Undisclosed	Undisclosed
Seward & Kissel Class of 2023: $20K / $6K Class of 2017+: $115K / $25K	November 27, 2024	2000 hours (1850 billable hours and 150 qualified non-billable hours); 2200 hours for special bonus (1850 billable hours and 150 qualified non-billable hours; associates who “substantially” exceed the eligibility requirements for special bonuses may receive an “increased” special bonus)	First quarter of 2025
Fish & Richardson Entry-Level: $15K / $6K (prorated) A7: $115K / $25K	November 27, 2024	2100 hours (including up to 200 pro bono/DEI/pitch hours) or strongest reviews based on quality of work	December 26, 2024
Wilkinson Stekloff Class of 2024: $22.5K / $6K Class of 2017: $172.5K / $25K	December 3, 2024	None	By December 13, 2024

---

Staci
Zaretsky is
a
senior
editor
at
Above
the
Law,
where
she’s
worked
since
2011.
She’d
love
to
hear
from
you,
so
please
feel
free
to

email
her
with
any
tips,
questions,
comments,
or
critiques.
You
can
follow
her
on

Bluesky,

X/Twitter,
and

Threads
or
connect
with
her
on

LinkedIn.

---

---