Associate Compensation Scorecard: Biglaw’s 2024 Bonus Boom – Above the Law

Posted on by TSA Press


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
Fried
Frank
Class
of
2024:
$15K
/
$6K
(prorated)
Class
of
2017+:
$115K
/
$25K November
20,
2024 1850
hours
for
special
bonus
(including
billable,
pro
bono,
qualified
nonbillable,
and
firm
matter
hours);
associates
eligible
for
“premium”
bonus
ranging
from
$3K
to
$34.5K On
or
before
December
31,
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 2000
hours
(including
a
minimum
of
25
pro
bono
hours
and
up
to
100
investment
hours
(e.g.,
DEI/mental
health;
personal
development/training;
community
involvement;
management
&
talent
development;
knowledge
development;
origination,
client
relationships,
business
development;
and
market
innovation
group)) January
31,
2025
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
Morgan
Lewis
Class
of
2023:
$20K
/
$6K
Class
of
2017+:
$115K
/
$25K November
27,
2024 1900+
hours
(20
of
which
must
be
pro
bono
hours) January
31,
2025
Wilkinson
Stekloff
Class
of
2024:
$22.5K
/
$6K
Class
of
2017:
$172.5K
/
$25K December
3,
2024 None By
December
13,
2024
Norton
Rose
Fulbright
Class
of
2024:
$15K
/
$6K
(prorated)
Class
of
2017+:
$115K
/
$25K December
3,
2024 1900
hours
(including
50
FIT
hours)
for
special
bonus
eligibility January
31,
2025
Kramer
Levin
Class
of
2024:
$15K
/
$6K
(prorated)
Class
of
2017+:
$115K
/
$25K December
4,
2024 Eligible
associates
in
good
standing
will
receive
bonuses February
14,
2025
Cahill
Class
of
2024:
$15K
/
$7.5K
(prorated)
Class
of
2016:
$115K
/
$40K December
5,
2024 Select
associates
in
Classes
of
2017-2020
who
have
demonstrated
“extraordinary”
performance
eligible
for
a
“super
bonus”
up
to
$200K
(based
on
performance
and
seniority)
in
lieu
of
special
bonus Second
half
of
January
2025
Ross
Aronstam
Class
of
2022:
$30K
/
$10K
Class
of
2016:
$115K
/
$25K December
5,
2024 None December
15,
2024
AZA
Class
of
2024:
$15K
/
$6K
Class
of
2021:
$57.5K
/
$15K December
6,
2024 None
(based
on
overall
performance;
bonuses
for
elder
class
years
are
individualized) December
13,
2024
Perkins
Coie
Class
of
2024:
$15K
(prorated)
Class
of
2017+:
$115K December
6,
2024 Undisclosed;
associates
report
no
special
bonuses
are
being
awarded Undisclosed
Boies
Schiller
Flexner
Class
of
2024:
$15K
/
$6K
(prorated)
Class
of
2017+:
$115K
/
$25K December
10,
2024 2000
hours
for
associates
on
the
“market”
system;
95%
of
associates
received
bonuses
as
high
as,
and
in
most
cases
higher
than
market
system
bonuses;
several
associates
received
bonuses
of
$300K+,
while
others
received
bonuses
of
$1M+ Week
of
December
9,
2024
Winston
&
Strawn
Class
of
2024:
$15K
/
$6K
(prorated)
Class
of
2017+:
$115K
/
$25K December
10,
2024 2000
hours
(additional
bonus
money
for
associates
who
“substantially
exceed”
productivity
goals);
for
special
bonus,
associates
who
meet
or
exceed
their
hours
will
receive
100%;
associates
who
meet
75%
or
more
of
their
hours
will
receive
75%;
associates
between
50-74%
of
their
hours
will
receive
50%;
associates
who
are
under
50%
of
their
hours
will
receive
0% End
of
January
2025
Sullvan
&
Cromwell
Class
of
2024:
$15K
/
$6K
(prorated)
Class
of
2017+:
$115K
/
$25K December
11,
2024 Undisclosed December
23,
2024
Freshfields
Class
of
2024:
$15K
/
$6K
(prorated)
Class
of
2017+:
$115K
/
$25K December
11,
2024 Undisclosed Undisclosed
Linklaters
Class
of
2024:
$15K
/
$6K
(prorated)
Class
of
2017+:
$115K
/
$25K December
12,
2024 1900
hours
(including
unlimited
pro
bono,
up
to
400
hours
of
marketing,
and
other
work);
special
bonuses
awarded
to
associates
with
“higher
productivity”;
the
firm
is
reportedly
requiring
1650
client
billable
hours
for
special
bonus
eligibility December
31,
2024
Pillsbury
Fall
Hires:
$15K
/
$6K
(prorated)
SA
2/Counsel:
$115K
/
$25K December
12,
2024 1700
client/2000
creditable
hours
for
base
bonus;
1900
client/2200
creditable
hours
for
Super
Bonus
1
($20K-$25K,
by
class
year);
2100
client/2400
creditable
hours
for
Super
Bonus
2
($30K
all
class
years);
market
special
bonuses
not
included Undisclosed
Selendy
Gay
Class
of
2024:
$17.25K
/
$6K
(prorated)
Class
of
2017+:
$132.25K
/
$25K December
12,
2024 None
(some
associates
will
receive
even
more
bonus
money
based
on
performance,
hours,
and
firm
citizenship;
some
associates
received
bonuses
more
than
50%
above
market) December
13,
2024
Axinn
Class
of
2024:
$15K
/
$6K
(prorated)
Class
of
2017+:
$115K
/
$25K December
12,
2024 2000
hours;
“extraordinary”
bonuses
available
to
associates
who
surpassed
their
billable
hours
threshold By
December
20,
2024
Gjerset
&
Lorenz
Class
of
2024:
$15K
Class
of
2017:
$115K December
12,
2024 1900
hours
for
base
bonus;
2000
hours
for
$20K-$130K
bonus;
2100
hours
for
$28K-$150K
bonus;
2200
hours
for
$35K-$165K
bonus;
maximum
potential
bonuses
of
$55K-$330K;
additional
bonuses
to
be
paid
out
over
the
next
four
quarters,
with
the
first
installment
on
March
31,
2025 Undisclosed
Elsberg
Baker
&
Maruri
Class
of
2024:
$26.25K
/
$6K
Class
of
2017+:
$201.25K
/
$25K December
12,
2024 Undisclosed Undisclosed
Rolnick
Kramer
Sadighi
Class
of
2024:
$15K
/
$6K
Class
of
2017+:
$115K
/
$25K December
12,
2024 Undisclosed;
the
firm
reportedly
awarded
bonuses
ranging
up
to
150%
over
the
prevailing
market
rate
to
associates Undisclosed
Bursor
&
Fisher
Class
of
2023:
$50K+
Class
of
2020+:
$400K+ December
12,
2024 Undisclosed;
bonuses
are
based
on
business
origination
and
revenue;
highest
bonus
awarded
was
$725K Undisclosed
Cohen
Ziffer
Class
of
2023:
$20K
Class
of
2017+:
$115K December
13,
2024 Undisclosed;
“in
exceptional
circumstances,”
associates
may
receive
higher
bonuses
“based
on
individual
performance” December
13,
2024
Quinn
Emanuel
Class
of
2024:
$15K
/
$6K
Class
of
2017+:
$115K
/
$25K December
13,
2024 2000-2099
hours
for
$10K-$76.6K;
2100-2399
hours
for
base
bonus;
2400-2699
hours
for
$18K-$138K;
2700+
hours
for
$20.25K-$155.25K Week
of
December
16,
2024
McKool
Smith
Class
of
2024:
$15K
(prorated)
Class
of
2017+:
$115K December
13,
2024 Undisclosed;
high
billers
will
receive
additional
bonus
money,
with
some
exceeding
the
Milbank
scale
by
more
than
35%;
firm
previously
awarded
summer
bonuses
based
on
hours
(1900
hours
for
$2.5K;
1900-2199
hours
for
$7.5K;
2200-2299
hours
for
$10K;
2300-2399
hours
for
$15K;
2400-2599
hours
for
$20K;
2600+
hours
for
$30K) Undisclosed
Susman
Godfrey
Class
of
2022:
$110K
(median)
Class
of
2015:
$260K
(median) December
17,
2024 None Undisclosed
Yetter
Coleman
Class
of
2024:
$15K
/
$6K
(prorated)
Class
of
2017+:
$115K
/
$25K December
17,
2024 Undisclosed;
“outstanding”
performances
will
be
rewarded
with
“even
higher”
bonus
amounts December
20,
2024
Hogan
Lovells
Class
of
2023:
$20K
Class
of
2017+:
$115K December
17,
2024 2000
hours
(including
up
to
150
pro
bono
hours
until
associates
meet
1850
hours,
then
unlimited
pro
bono
hours,
and
including
up
to
50
D&I
hours,
if
they
have
billed
at
least
1800
hours);
additional
bonuses
available
for
those
who
exceed
hours
minimums Undisclosed
Orrick
Associate
Year
1:
$20K
/
$6K
Senior
Associate
Year
2+:
$115K
/
$25K December
18,
2024 Undisclosed December
31,
2024
(special
bonuses);
Mid-February
2025
(merit
bonuses)
Hueston
Hennigan
Class
of
2023:
$20K
/
$6K
Class
of
2017+:
$115K
/
$25K December
18,
2024 Based
on
class
year,
hours,
and
good
standing;
all
bonus-eligible
associates
reportedly
received
above-market
bonuses
(with
some
receiving
two
or
more
times
the
market
bonus
for
their
class) Undisclosed
Sheppard
Mullin
Level
A1:
$20K
/
$6K
Level
C2:
$115K
/
$25K December
19,
2024 2000
hours
for
base
bonus
and
special
bonus
(1950
hours
for
$10K-$57.5K;
2200
hours
for
$22K-$126.5K;
2400
hours
for
$$24K-$138K) January
17,
2025

Associate Compensation Scorecard: Biglaw’s 2024 Bonus Boom – Above the Law

Posted on by TSA Press


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
Fried
Frank
Class
of
2024:
$15K
/
$6K
(prorated)
Class
of
2017+:
$115K
/
$25K November
20,
2024 1850
hours
for
special
bonus
(including
billable,
pro
bono,
qualified
nonbillable,
and
firm
matter
hours);
associates
eligible
for
“premium”
bonus
ranging
from
$3K
to
$34.5K On
or
before
December
31,
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 2000
hours
(including
a
minimum
of
25
pro
bono
hours
and
up
to
100
investment
hours
(e.g.,
DEI/mental
health;
personal
development/training;
community
involvement;
management
&
talent
development;
knowledge
development;
origination,
client
relationships,
business
development;
and
market
innovation
group)) January
31,
2025
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
Morgan
Lewis
Class
of
2023:
$20K
/
$6K
Class
of
2017+:
$115K
/
$25K November
27,
2024 1900+
hours
(20
of
which
must
be
pro
bono
hours) January
31,
2025
Wilkinson
Stekloff
Class
of
2024:
$22.5K
/
$6K
Class
of
2017:
$172.5K
/
$25K December
3,
2024 None By
December
13,
2024
Norton
Rose
Fulbright
Class
of
2024:
$15K
/
$6K
(prorated)
Class
of
2017+:
$115K
/
$25K December
3,
2024 1900
hours
(including
50
FIT
hours)
for
special
bonus
eligibility January
31,
2025
Kramer
Levin
Class
of
2024:
$15K
/
$6K
(prorated)
Class
of
2017+:
$115K
/
$25K December
4,
2024 Eligible
associates
in
good
standing
will
receive
bonuses February
14,
2025
Cahill
Class
of
2024:
$15K
/
$7.5K
(prorated)
Class
of
2016:
$115K
/
$40K December
5,
2024 Select
associates
in
Classes
of
2017-2020
who
have
demonstrated
“extraordinary”
performance
eligible
for
a
“super
bonus”
up
to
$200K
(based
on
performance
and
seniority)
in
lieu
of
special
bonus Second
half
of
January
2025
Ross
Aronstam
Class
of
2022:
$30K
/
$10K
Class
of
2016:
$115K
/
$25K December
5,
2024 None December
15,
2024
AZA
Class
of
2024:
$15K
/
$6K
Class
of
2021:
$57.5K
/
$15K December
6,
2024 None
(based
on
overall
performance;
bonuses
for
elder
class
years
are
individualized) December
13,
2024
Perkins
Coie
Class
of
2024:
$15K
(prorated)
Class
of
2017+:
$115K December
6,
2024 Undisclosed;
associates
report
no
special
bonuses
are
being
awarded Undisclosed
Boies
Schiller
Flexner
Class
of
2024:
$15K
/
$6K
(prorated)
Class
of
2017+:
$115K
/
$25K December
10,
2024 2000
hours
for
associates
on
the
“market”
system;
95%
of
associates
received
bonuses
as
high
as,
and
in
most
cases
higher
than
market
system
bonuses;
several
associates
received
bonuses
of
$300K+,
while
others
received
bonuses
of
$1M+ Week
of
December
9,
2024
Winston
&
Strawn
Class
of
2024:
$15K
/
$6K
(prorated)
Class
of
2017+:
$115K
/
$25K December
10,
2024 2000
hours
(additional
bonus
money
for
associates
who
“substantially
exceed”
productivity
goals);
for
special
bonus,
associates
who
meet
or
exceed
their
hours
will
receive
100%;
associates
who
meet
75%
or
more
of
their
hours
will
receive
75%;
associates
between
50-74%
of
their
hours
will
receive
50%;
associates
who
are
under
50%
of
their
hours
will
receive
0% End
of
January
2025
Sullvan
&
Cromwell
Class
of
2024:
$15K
/
$6K
(prorated)
Class
of
2017+:
$115K
/
$25K December
11,
2024 Undisclosed December
23,
2024
Freshfields
Class
of
2024:
$15K
/
$6K
(prorated)
Class
of
2017+:
$115K
/
$25K December
11,
2024 Undisclosed Undisclosed
Linklaters
Class
of
2024:
$15K
/
$6K
(prorated)
Class
of
2017+:
$115K
/
$25K December
12,
2024 1900
hours
(including
unlimited
pro
bono,
up
to
400
hours
of
marketing,
and
other
work);
special
bonuses
awarded
to
associates
with
“higher
productivity”;
the
firm
is
reportedly
requiring
1650
client
billable
hours
for
special
bonus
eligibility December
31,
2024
Pillsbury
Fall
Hires:
$15K
/
$6K
(prorated)
SA
2/Counsel:
$115K
/
$25K December
12,
2024 1700
client/2000
creditable
hours
for
base
bonus;
1900
client/2200
creditable
hours
for
Super
Bonus
1
($20K-$25K,
by
class
year);
2100
client/2400
creditable
hours
for
Super
Bonus
2
($30K
all
class
years);
market
special
bonuses
not
included Undisclosed
Selendy
Gay
Class
of
2024:
$17.25K
/
$6K
(prorated)
Class
of
2017+:
$132.25K
/
$25K December
12,
2024 None
(some
associates
will
receive
even
more
bonus
money
based
on
performance,
hours,
and
firm
citizenship;
some
associates
received
bonuses
more
than
50%
above
market) December
13,
2024
Axinn
Class
of
2024:
$15K
/
$6K
(prorated)
Class
of
2017+:
$115K
/
$25K December
12,
2024 2000
hours;
“extraordinary”
bonuses
available
to
associates
who
surpassed
their
billable
hours
threshold By
December
20,
2024
Gjerset
&
Lorenz
Class
of
2024:
$15K
Class
of
2017:
$115K December
12,
2024 1900
hours
for
base
bonus;
2000
hours
for
$20K-$130K
bonus;
2100
hours
for
$28K-$150K
bonus;
2200
hours
for
$35K-$165K
bonus;
maximum
potential
bonuses
of
$55K-$330K;
additional
bonuses
to
be
paid
out
over
the
next
four
quarters,
with
the
first
installment
on
March
31,
2025 Undisclosed
Elsberg
Baker
&
Maruri
Class
of
2024:
$26.25K
/
$6K
Class
of
2017+:
$201.25K
/
$25K December
12,
2024 Undisclosed Undisclosed
Rolnick
Kramer
Sadighi
Class
of
2024:
$15K
/
$6K
Class
of
2017+:
$115K
/
$25K December
12,
2024 Undisclosed;
the
firm
reportedly
awarded
bonuses
ranging
up
to
150%
over
the
prevailing
market
rate
to
associates Undisclosed
Bursor
&
Fisher
Class
of
2023:
$50K+
Class
of
2020+:
$400K+ December
12,
2024 Undisclosed;
bonuses
are
based
on
business
origination
and
revenue;
highest
bonus
awarded
was
$725K Undisclosed
Cohen
Ziffer
Class
of
2023:
$20K
Class
of
2017+:
$115K December
13,
2024 Undisclosed;
“in
exceptional
circumstances,”
associates
may
receive
higher
bonuses
“based
on
individual
performance” December
13,
2024
Quinn
Emanuel
Class
of
2024:
$15K
/
$6K
Class
of
2017+:
$115K
/
$25K December
13,
2024 2000-2099
hours
for
$10K-$76.6K;
2100-2399
hours
for
base
bonus;
2400-2699
hours
for
$18K-$138K;
2700+
hours
for
$20.25K-$155.25K Week
of
December
16,
2024
McKool
Smith
Class
of
2024:
$15K
(prorated)
Class
of
2017+:
$115K December
13,
2024 Undisclosed;
high
billers
will
receive
additional
bonus
money,
with
some
exceeding
the
Milbank
scale
by
more
than
35%;
firm
previously
awarded
summer
bonuses
based
on
hours
(1900
hours
for
$2.5K;
1900-2199
hours
for
$7.5K;
2200-2299
hours
for
$10K;
2300-2399
hours
for
$15K;
2400-2599
hours
for
$20K;
2600+
hours
for
$30K) Undisclosed
Susman
Godfrey
Class
of
2022:
$110K
(median)
Class
of
2015:
$260K
(median) December
17,
2024 None Undisclosed
Yetter
Coleman
Class
of
2024:
$15K
/
$6K
(prorated)
Class
of
2017+:
$115K
/
$25K December
17,
2024 Undisclosed;
“outstanding”
performances
will
be
rewarded
with
“even
higher”
bonus
amounts December
20,
2024
Hogan
Lovells
Class
of
2023:
$20K
Class
of
2017+:
$115K December
17,
2024 2000
hours
(including
up
to
150
pro
bono
hours
until
associates
meet
1850
hours,
then
unlimited
pro
bono
hours,
and
including
up
to
50
D&I
hours,
if
they
have
billed
at
least
1800
hours);
additional
bonuses
available
for
those
who
exceed
hours
minimums Undisclosed
Orrick
Associate
Year
1:
$20K
/
$6K
Senior
Associate
Year
2+:
$115K
/
$25K December
18,
2024 Undisclosed December
31,
2024
(special
bonuses);
Mid-February
2025
(merit
bonuses)
Hueston
Hennigan
Class
of
2023:
$20K
/
$6K
Class
of
2017+:
$115K
/
$25K December
18,
2024 Based
on
class
year,
hours,
and
good
standing;
all
bonus-eligible
associates
reportedly
received
above-market
bonuses
(with
some
receiving
two
or
more
times
the
market
bonus
for
their
class) Undisclosed
Sheppard
Mullin
Level
A1:
$20K
/
$6K
Level
C2:
$115K
/
$25K December
19,
2024 2000
hours
for
base
bonus
and
special
bonus
(1950
hours
for
$10K-$57.5K;
2200
hours
for
$22K-$126.5K;
2400
hours
for
$$24K-$138K) January
17,
2025

Associate Compensation Scorecard: Biglaw’s 2024 Bonus Boom – Above the Law

Posted on by TSA Press


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
Fried
Frank
Class
of
2024:
$15K
/
$6K
(prorated)
Class
of
2017+:
$115K
/
$25K November
20,
2024 1850
hours
for
special
bonus
(including
billable,
pro
bono,
qualified
nonbillable,
and
firm
matter
hours);
associates
eligible
for
“premium”
bonus
ranging
from
$3K
to
$34.5K On
or
before
December
31,
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 2000
hours
(including
a
minimum
of
25
pro
bono
hours
and
up
to
100
investment
hours
(e.g.,
DEI/mental
health;
personal
development/training;
community
involvement;
management
&
talent
development;
knowledge
development;
origination,
client
relationships,
business
development;
and
market
innovation
group)) January
31,
2025
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
Morgan
Lewis
Class
of
2023:
$20K
/
$6K
Class
of
2017+:
$115K
/
$25K November
27,
2024 1900+
hours
(20
of
which
must
be
pro
bono
hours) January
31,
2025
Wilkinson
Stekloff
Class
of
2024:
$22.5K
/
$6K
Class
of
2017:
$172.5K
/
$25K December
3,
2024 None By
December
13,
2024
Norton
Rose
Fulbright
Class
of
2024:
$15K
/
$6K
(prorated)
Class
of
2017+:
$115K
/
$25K December
3,
2024 1900
hours
(including
50
FIT
hours)
for
special
bonus
eligibility January
31,
2025
Kramer
Levin
Class
of
2024:
$15K
/
$6K
(prorated)
Class
of
2017+:
$115K
/
$25K December
4,
2024 Eligible
associates
in
good
standing
will
receive
bonuses February
14,
2025
Cahill
Class
of
2024:
$15K
/
$7.5K
(prorated)
Class
of
2016:
$115K
/
$40K December
5,
2024 Select
associates
in
Classes
of
2017-2020
who
have
demonstrated
“extraordinary”
performance
eligible
for
a
“super
bonus”
up
to
$200K
(based
on
performance
and
seniority)
in
lieu
of
special
bonus Second
half
of
January
2025
Ross
Aronstam
Class
of
2022:
$30K
/
$10K
Class
of
2016:
$115K
/
$25K December
5,
2024 None December
15,
2024
AZA
Class
of
2024:
$15K
/
$6K
Class
of
2021:
$57.5K
/
$15K December
6,
2024 None
(based
on
overall
performance;
bonuses
for
elder
class
years
are
individualized) December
13,
2024
Perkins
Coie
Class
of
2024:
$15K
(prorated)
Class
of
2017+:
$115K December
6,
2024 Undisclosed;
associates
report
no
special
bonuses
are
being
awarded Undisclosed
Boies
Schiller
Flexner
Class
of
2024:
$15K
/
$6K
(prorated)
Class
of
2017+:
$115K
/
$25K December
10,
2024 2000
hours
for
associates
on
the
“market”
system;
95%
of
associates
received
bonuses
as
high
as,
and
in
most
cases
higher
than
market
system
bonuses;
several
associates
received
bonuses
of
$300K+,
while
others
received
bonuses
of
$1M+ Week
of
December
9,
2024
Winston
&
Strawn
Class
of
2024:
$15K
/
$6K
(prorated)
Class
of
2017+:
$115K
/
$25K December
10,
2024 2000
hours
(additional
bonus
money
for
associates
who
“substantially
exceed”
productivity
goals);
for
special
bonus,
associates
who
meet
or
exceed
their
hours
will
receive
100%;
associates
who
meet
75%
or
more
of
their
hours
will
receive
75%;
associates
between
50-74%
of
their
hours
will
receive
50%;
associates
who
are
under
50%
of
their
hours
will
receive
0% End
of
January
2025
Sullvan
&
Cromwell
Class
of
2024:
$15K
/
$6K
(prorated)
Class
of
2017+:
$115K
/
$25K December
11,
2024 Undisclosed December
23,
2024
Freshfields
Class
of
2024:
$15K
/
$6K
(prorated)
Class
of
2017+:
$115K
/
$25K December
11,
2024 Undisclosed Undisclosed
Linklaters
Class
of
2024:
$15K
/
$6K
(prorated)
Class
of
2017+:
$115K
/
$25K December
12,
2024 1900
hours
(including
unlimited
pro
bono,
up
to
400
hours
of
marketing,
and
other
work);
special
bonuses
awarded
to
associates
with
“higher
productivity”;
the
firm
is
reportedly
requiring
1650
client
billable
hours
for
special
bonus
eligibility December
31,
2024
Pillsbury
Fall
Hires:
$15K
/
$6K
(prorated)
SA
2/Counsel:
$115K
/
$25K December
12,
2024 1700
client/2000
creditable
hours
for
base
bonus;
1900
client/2200
creditable
hours
for
Super
Bonus
1
($20K-$25K,
by
class
year);
2100
client/2400
creditable
hours
for
Super
Bonus
2
($30K
all
class
years);
market
special
bonuses
not
included Undisclosed
Selendy
Gay
Class
of
2024:
$17.25K
/
$6K
(prorated)
Class
of
2017+:
$132.25K
/
$25K December
12,
2024 None
(some
associates
will
receive
even
more
bonus
money
based
on
performance,
hours,
and
firm
citizenship;
some
associates
received
bonuses
more
than
50%
above
market) December
13,
2024
Axinn
Class
of
2024:
$15K
/
$6K
(prorated)
Class
of
2017+:
$115K
/
$25K December
12,
2024 2000
hours;
“extraordinary”
bonuses
available
to
associates
who
surpassed
their
billable
hours
threshold By
December
20,
2024
Gjerset
&
Lorenz
Class
of
2024:
$15K
Class
of
2017:
$115K December
12,
2024 1900
hours
for
base
bonus;
2000
hours
for
$20K-$130K
bonus;
2100
hours
for
$28K-$150K
bonus;
2200
hours
for
$35K-$165K
bonus;
maximum
potential
bonuses
of
$55K-$330K;
additional
bonuses
to
be
paid
out
over
the
next
four
quarters,
with
the
first
installment
on
March
31,
2025 Undisclosed
Elsberg
Baker
&
Maruri
Class
of
2024:
$26.25K
/
$6K
Class
of
2017+:
$201.25K
/
$25K December
12,
2024 Undisclosed Undisclosed
Rolnick
Kramer
Sadighi
Class
of
2024:
$15K
/
$6K
Class
of
2017+:
$115K
/
$25K December
12,
2024 Undisclosed;
the
firm
reportedly
awarded
bonuses
ranging
up
to
150%
over
the
prevailing
market
rate
to
associates Undisclosed
Bursor
&
Fisher
Class
of
2023:
$50K+
Class
of
2020+:
$400K+ December
12,
2024 Undisclosed;
bonuses
are
based
on
business
origination
and
revenue;
highest
bonus
awarded
was
$725K Undisclosed
Cohen
Ziffer
Class
of
2023:
$20K
Class
of
2017+:
$115K December
13,
2024 Undisclosed;
“in
exceptional
circumstances,”
associates
may
receive
higher
bonuses
“based
on
individual
performance” December
13,
2024
Quinn
Emanuel
Class
of
2024:
$15K
/
$6K
Class
of
2017+:
$115K
/
$25K December
13,
2024 2000-2099
hours
for
$10K-$76.6K;
2100-2399
hours
for
base
bonus;
2400-2699
hours
for
$18K-$138K;
2700+
hours
for
$20.25K-$155.25K Week
of
December
16,
2024
McKool
Smith
Class
of
2024:
$15K
(prorated)
Class
of
2017+:
$115K December
13,
2024 Undisclosed;
high
billers
will
receive
additional
bonus
money,
with
some
exceeding
the
Milbank
scale
by
more
than
35%;
firm
previously
awarded
summer
bonuses
based
on
hours
(1900
hours
for
$2.5K;
1900-2199
hours
for
$7.5K;
2200-2299
hours
for
$10K;
2300-2399
hours
for
$15K;
2400-2599
hours
for
$20K;
2600+
hours
for
$30K) Undisclosed
Susman
Godfrey
Class
of
2022:
$110K
(median)
Class
of
2015:
$260K
(median) December
17,
2024 None Undisclosed
Yetter
Coleman
Class
of
2024:
$15K
/
$6K
(prorated)
Class
of
2017+:
$115K
/
$25K December
17,
2024 Undisclosed;
“outstanding”
performances
will
be
rewarded
with
“even
higher”
bonus
amounts December
20,
2024
Hogan
Lovells
Class
of
2023:
$20K
Class
of
2017+:
$115K December
17,
2024 2000
hours
(including
up
to
150
pro
bono
hours
until
associates
meet
1850
hours,
then
unlimited
pro
bono
hours,
and
including
up
to
50
D&I
hours,
if
they
have
billed
at
least
1800
hours);
additional
bonuses
available
for
those
who
exceed
hours
minimums Undisclosed
Orrick
Associate
Year
1:
$20K
/
$6K
Senior
Associate
Year
2+:
$115K
/
$25K December
18,
2024 Undisclosed December
31,
2024
(special
bonuses);
Mid-February
2025
(merit
bonuses)
Hueston
Hennigan
Class
of
2023:
$20K
/
$6K
Class
of
2017+:
$115K
/
$25K December
18,
2024 Based
on
class
year,
hours,
and
good
standing;
all
bonus-eligible
associates
reportedly
received
above-market
bonuses
(with
some
receiving
two
or
more
times
the
market
bonus
for
their
class) Undisclosed
Sheppard
Mullin
Level
A1:
$20K
/
$6K
Level
C2:
$115K
/
$25K December
19,
2024 2000
hours
for
base
bonus
and
special
bonus
(1950
hours
for
$10K-$57.5K;
2200
hours
for
$22K-$126.5K;
2400
hours
for
$$24K-$138K) January
17,
2025

KFC Abrubptly Drops ‘Original Recipe’ Tradeamark Suit Against Church’s Chicken – Above the Law

Posted on by TSA Press

I’ll
preface
this
post
by
saying
a
part
of
me
hates
writing
posts
like
this.
We
recently
talked
about
a trademark
lawsuit brought
by
KFC
against
Church’s
Chicken
centered
on
Church’s
advertisements
of
a
return
to
its
“original
recipe”
for
some
of
its
chicken.
Powering
the
suit
was
the
trademark
KFC
has
on
the
term
“Original
Recipe”.
As
I
outlined
in
the
original
post,
this
trademark
granted
by
the
USPTO
way
back
in
the
1970s
never
should
have
been
a
thing.
It’s
generic,
it’s
descriptive,
and
it’s
all
the
moreso
both
when
you
consider
that
it
was
granted
for
the
restaurant
market.

So
why
do
I
partially
hate
writing
posts
like
this
one?
Well,
because
we
recently
got
news
that KFC
has
dropped
the
suit
entirely,
citing
that
it
reached
an
amicable
resolution
with
Church’s.
My
frustration
stems
entirely
from
the
completely
opaque
nature
of
whatever
that
resolution
is.
Here
is
the
entirely
of
what
we
know:


um!
Brands’
KFC (YUM.N),
opens
new
tab told
a
Texas
federal
court
on
Tuesday
that
it
would
end
its
lawsuit
over
rival
fast-food
chain
Church’s
Texas
Chicken’s
use
of
its
trademarked
phrase
“Original
Recipe”
in
advertising.


KFC
and
Church’s
said
they
“amicably
resolved”
the
dispute
in
a
statement
provided
by
a
KFC
spokesperson
on
Tuesday.
KFC asked
the
court
to
dismiss
the
case,
opens
new
tab without
prejudice,
which
means
it
could
refile
the
lawsuit
later.

So,
since
there
doesn’t
appear
to
be
any
public
information
as
to
what
the
resolution
was
to
this,
all
I
can
really
do
is
speculate.
So
speculate
I
shall!

If
I
had
to
place
any
bets,
I
would
bet
that
Church’s
lawyers
explained
to
KFC
that
its
use
was
generic
and
descriptive
in
nature,
thereby not being
trademark
infringement.
I
would
bet
as
well
that
Church’s
legal
team
pointed
out
that
if
this
suit
were
to
continue
it
would
consider
petitioning
to
have
KFC’s
“Original
Recipe”
trademark
canceled
for
the
same
reasons.
I
would
further
guess
that
KFC
got
Church’s
to
agree
to
only
use
the
term
in
these
same
descriptive
and
generic
ways,
in
order
to
make
this
suit
go
away.

Why
is
that
what
I
think
happened?
A
couple
of
reasons.
First,
settlements
like
this,
even
those
with
terms
not
made
publicly,
often
come
with
at
least
the
news
that
the
defendant
will
change
its
use
of
trademarked
terms
in
question.
That
doesn’t
seem
to
be
in
any
of
the
announcements
about
this
settlement.
There’s
no
reason
for
it
not
to
be;
everyone
will
notice
if
Church’s
suddenly
rips
down
all
the
signage
that
advertises
its
original
recipe.

Second
is
the
dismissal
without
prejudice.
That
leads
me
to
believe
that
Church’s
agreed
not
to
use
the
language
in
ways
beyond
what
it
has
to
date,
in
terms
of
it
being
descriptive
and
generic
in
nature.
This
allows
KFC
to
file
suit
again
if
Church’s
goes
beyond
that.

Admittedly,
as
stated,
that
is
all
pure
speculation.
I
guess
in
the
meantime
I’ll
just
have
to
walk
by
my
local
Church’s
Chicken
and
see
what
the
signs
say.
But
for
now,
this
lawsuit
is
dead.


KFC
Abrubptly
Drops
‘Original
Recipe’
Tradeamark
Suit
Against
Church’s
Chicken


More
Law-Related
Stories
From
Techdirt:


Wyden
Again
Warns
That
‘SS7’
Telecom
Flaw
Lets
Foreign
Countries
Broadly
Spy
On
American
Communications

SCOTUS
Turns
TikTok
Ban
Case
Into
TikTok-Style
Short
Attention
Span
Theater

Another
DOJ
Investigation
Of
A
Cop
Shop
Finds
Multiple
Rights
Violations

Morning Docket: 12.20.24 – Above the Law

Posted on by TSA Press

*
Morgan
Lewis
snags
54
lawyers
from
Kramer
Levin…
though
it’s
not
much
of
a
surprise.
[Bloomberg
Law
News]

*
Retired
judges
file
amicus
in
Judge
Pauline
Newman
case
noting
that
it’s
unconstitutional
for
saying
that
suspension
violates
the
U.S.
Constitution
because
only
Congress
can
remove
a
judge
not
some
pocket
impeachment
from
the
rest
of
the
panel.
[National
Law
Journal]

*
Cosplaying
as
a
judge
for
a
TikTok
parody
lands
lawyer
in
trouble.
[Roll
on
Friday]

*
More
analysis
on
the
recent
“the
REAL
ethical
problem
is
pointing
out
that
the
Supreme
Court
is
unethical”
opinion.
[Balls
and
Strikes]

*
Top
Eric
Adams
figure
charged
with
bribery…
you
know,
if
you
were
wondering
why
the
mayor
tried
to
make
a
public
show
of
being
on
the
Luigi
perp
walk
yesterday.
[Law360]

*
Montana
Supreme
Court
rules
for
the
kids
in
climate
change
case.
[ABA
Journal]

*
Alison
Frankel
is
leaving
the
world
of
legal
journalism
after
37
years.
Her
farewell
column
in
Reuters
today.
[Reuters]

*
Cozen
O’Connor
founder
Stephen
Cozen
has
died
after
a
two
week
illness.
[American
Lawyer]

Boutique Firms Handing Out Beaucoup Bonuses! – See Also – Above the Law

Posted on by TSA Press




<br /> Boutique<br /> Firms<br /> Handing<br /> Out<br /> Beaucoup<br /> Bonuses!<br /> –<br /> See<br /> Also<br /> –<br /> Above<br /> the<br /> Law


























Brazilian Judge Coming Hard For Adele Over Plagiarism Claim – Above the Law

Posted on by TSA Press

(Photo
by
Denise
Truscello/Getty
Images
for
AD)



Ed.
Note:
Welcome
to
our
daily
feature

Trivia
Question
of
the
Day!


Which
song
off
of
Adele’s

25
album
did
Brazilian
judge
Victor
Torres
recently
find
plagiarized
Toninho
Geraes’s
“Mulheres”
(Women)?
The
judge
ordered
Sony
and
Universal
to
stop
“immediately
and
globally,
from
using,
reproducing,
editing,
distributing
or
commercializing
the
song[
],
by
any
modality,
means,
physical
or
digital
support,
streaming
or
sharing
platform.”


Hint:
Universal
Music
is
appealing
the
order,
saying
both
songs
use
a
musical
cliché
and
pointing
to
works
that
predate
Geraes’s
with
a
similar
melody.



See
the
answer
on
the
next
page.


1

2Next
»

Follow The Leader Or Lead The Followers? – Above the Law

Posted on by TSA Press

Remember
the
childhood
game
of
“follow
the
leader”?
Are
we
still
doing
that
today?

What
is
leadership?
There
are
as
many
definitions
of
the
term
as
there
are
people
who
think
they
are
leaders.
Some
truly
are
leaders
and
some
are
just
kidding
themselves
(as
well
as
others).
Concepts
of
leadership
have
changed
over
the
decades,
and
that’s
a
good
thing.
We
have
come
a
long
way
from
the
previously
fashionable
style
of
“command
and
control.”
Where
once
a
CEO
such
as
Jack
Welch
at
General
Electric
was
vaunted
for
his
leadership,
that
was
the
same
Welch
who
reduced
the
bottom
20%
of
his
staff
every
year.
“Rank
and
yank”
it
was
called.
Now
there
are

revisionist
opinions
as
to
Welch’s
success.

Leadership
is
essential
to
being
a
good
lawyer
regardless
of
whether
you
are
a
sole
practitioner,
in
a
small
firm,
a
middling
size
firm,
or
one
of
those
behemoth
firms
that
are
gobbling
up
other
firms
(not
without
some
acid
reflux).

What
does
leadership
have
to
do
with
lawyering?
A
lot.
Regardless
of
your
position
in
a
firm,
be
it
junior
puppy,
senior
puppy,
partner
of
whatever
nature,
people
both
in
the
firm
and
out
regard
you
as
representing
that
firm,
be
it
with
clients,
opposing
counsel,
the
court,
and
(not
the
least),
the
people
you
work
with
on
a
daily
basis
—
your
teammates,
your
colleagues.

Leadership
can
run
the
gamut
from
representing
the
client
in
court,
heading
a
negotiation
team,
suggesting
how
to
strategize
litigation,
and
supervising
paralegals
and
other
support
staff.
Even
chairing
a
bar
association
committee,
giving
pro
bono
advice
to
a
nonprofit,
anything,
anywhere
can
be
viewed
as
leadership.
Others
may
not
regard
you
as
a
leader,
but
you
are.
(Even
though
“soft
skills”
are
still
underrated
as
leadership
qualities,
and
of
course
they
are
not
billing
machines.)

While

this
ATL
post
was
more
than
a
year
ago,
the
same
soft
skills
still
apply
today,
perhaps
even
more
so.
Two
of
them
are
leadership
and
a
sense
of
humor
(no
surprise
there
if
you
think
about
it.
Don’t
take 
yourself
too
seriously.
Translation:
don’t
be
a
pompous
blowhard,
in
fact,
don’t
be
a
blowhard
at
all.
Even

popes
have
senses
of
humor.
Take
the
work
seriously,
but
taking
yourself
too
seriously,
not
having
a
sense
of
humor
about
the
million
and
one
things
that
can
(and
do)
go
wrong
every
day
in
the
practice
requires
that
we
be
able
to
laugh
about
our
foibles
and
the
foibles
of
others.
And
there’s
plenty
to
laugh
about.
Just
peruse
any
edition
of
ATL.

Example:
this
particular
judge
has
a
finely
honed
sense
of
the
ridiculous
(which
is
also
necessary,
especially
in
motion
practice).
Plaintiff’s
counsel
conditioned
defendant
counsel’s
request
for
an
extension
of
time
on
not
filing
a
motion
to
dismiss.
(Really?
Any
sense
of
humor
there?)
The

court
had
the
final
word
(it
always
does)
by
ordering
counsel
to
have
lunch
together
by
year’s
end
and
to
then
advise
the
court
about
their
conversation.
A
benchslap
of
a
different
variety
that
holds
great
promise
in
litigation
disputes.
Definitely
a
leader
in
dispute
resolution.

All
judicial
officers
should 
consider
this
technique
and
warring
counsel
should
as
well.
Breaking
bread
together
may
not
lead
to
ultimate
resolution,
but
it
is
hard
to
be
pissed
off
when
your
mouth
is
full
of
an
expensive
meal
for
which
opposing
counsel
pays.
Yes,
lest
we
forget,

civility
is
also
another
component
of
leadership
and
another
required
MCLE
course
for
California
lawyers.

Leadership
is
also
emotional
intelligence,
authority
and
vulnerability.
I
like
the
definition
of
leadership
described
in
one
of

Louise
Penny’s
mysteries.
The
protagonist,
Inspector
Gamache
of
the

Sûreté
du
Québec,
says
that
leadership
has
four
elements:
“I’m
sorry.
I
was
wrong,
I
need
help.
I
don’t
know.”
Short
and
sweet,
right?

How
many
of
us
apologize
without
fear
of
potential
malpractice?
Very
few,
I
guess.
How
many
of
us
say
that
we
were
wrong?
Ditto,
for
the
same
reason.
How
many
of
us
ask
for
help?
How
many
of
us
have
the
courage
to
say
“I
don’t
know?”
If
leadership
is
the
ability
to
be
humble,
to
acknowledge
our
failings,
then
how
many
of
us
would
pass
that
test?
We
would
all
be
advised
to
STFU.
We
don’t
know
everything,
we
can’t
know
everything.
AI
doesn’t
know
everything
at
least,
not
yet.
And
I
don’t
think
that
AI
will
ever
provide
leadership.
Hopefully
that
will
always
be
a
human
need.



old lady lawyer elderly woman grandmother grandma laptop computerJill
Switzer
has
been
an
active
member
of
the
State
Bar
of
California
for
over
40
years.
She
remembers
practicing
law
in
a
kinder,
gentler
time.
She’s
had
a
diverse
legal
career,
including
stints
as
a
deputy
district
attorney,
a
solo
practice,
and
several
senior
in-house
gigs.
She
now
mediates
full-time,
which
gives
her
the
opportunity
to
see
dinosaurs,
millennials,
and
those
in-between
interact
—
it’s
not
always
civil.
You
can
reach
her
by
email
at




[email protected].

Professional Responsibility Lawyers Call on ABA to Modernize Model Rule 5.4 to Allow Fee Sharing with Non-Lawyers

Posted on by TSA Press

Saying
there
is
a
critical
need
for
changes
to
the
ethics
rule,
the

Association
of
Professional
Responsibility
Lawyers
has
submitted
a
letter
to
the
president
of
the

American
Bar
Association
urging
significant
revisions
to
Model
Rule
5.4,
the
long-standing
prohibition
on
lawyers
sharing
fees
with
non-lawyers.

The
Dec.
12
letter
conveys
a
report
written
by
APRL’s
Future
of
Lawyering
Subcommittee
which
calls
for
reforms
to
accommodate
the
evolving
legal
market
while
maintaining
ethical
safeguards
that
protect
clients.
The
letter
was
sent
to
ABA
President

William
R.
Bay
by
San
Francisco
lawyer

Kendra
L.
Basner,
APRL’s
current
president.

In
the
report,
APRL,
a
national
organization
of
over
450
legal
professionals
focused
on
ethics
and
professional
responsibility,
argues
that
the
existing
rule
hinders
innovation
and
restricts
access
to
justice.

Its
proposed
revisions
aim
to
strike
a
balance
between
enabling
lawyers
to
collaborate
with
non-lawyers
and
ensuring
professional
independence.

“We
face
a
new
set
of
challenges
that
require
a
different
approach,”
Basner
wrote
in
her
letter,
quoting
Bay’s
own
statement,
delivered
during
the
2024
ABA
annual
meeting,
on
the
legal
profession’s
need
for
change.

“APRL
believes
that
there
is
a
critical
need
for
changes
to
this
ethics
rule
to
address
the
continued,
inevitable
involvement
of
non-lawyers
in
legal
delivery
systems
while
maintaining
regulations
that
protect
consumers,”
Basner
wrote.


Key
Proposed
Changes

APRL’s
proposed
revisions
to
Rule
5.4
would
allow
lawyers
to
share
fees
with
non-lawyers
under
specific
conditions.
They
include:

  • Maintaining
    professional
    judgment.
    Lawyers
    would
    be
    required
    to
    retain
    independent
    professional
    judgment,
    as
    is
    already
    required
    by
    existing
    Rule
    2.1.
  • Supervision
    of
    non-lawyers.
    Lawyers
    would
    be
    required
    to
    supervise
    non-lawyer
    contributions
    in
    compliance
    with
    Rule
    5.3.
  • Reasonable
    fees.
    Shared
    fees
    would
    be
    required
    to
    remain
    reasonable,
    adhering
    to
    Rule
    1.5
    standards.
  • Client
    consent.
    Lawyers
    would
    be
    required
    to
    obtain
    client
    consent,
    in
    writing,
    when
    sharing
    fees
    with
    external
    non-lawyer
    entities.

The
APRL
report
acknowledges
developments
regarding
the
regulation
and
licensing
of
alternative
business
structures
in
Arizona,
Utah
and
Washington,
which
have
tested
similar
reforms
with
promising
results.
APRL
says
its
proposal
provides
flexibility
for
states
to
adopt
jurisdiction-specific
registration
requirements.


Growing
Calls
for
Change

The
ban
on
sharing
fees
with
non-lawyers,
enshrined
in
the
ABA’s
Model
Rule
5.4
since
1983,
was
originally
intended
to
protect
lawyer
independence.
However,
APRL’s
report
traces
the
rule’s
roots
to
outdated
concerns
over
unauthorized
practice
of
law
and
economic
competition
dating
back
to
the
19th
century.

Despite
the
persistence
of
Rule
5.4,
exceptions
to
it
already
exist,
the
report
notes,
such
as
profit-sharing
with
non-lawyer
employees
and
fee-sharing
with
nonprofits

Critics
of
the
prohibition
argue
that
it
stifles
innovation
in
legal
service
delivery.
APRL
cites
examples
like
the
now-defunct
Avvo
Legal
Services
platform,
which
state
bar
ethics
opinions
condemned
under
fee-sharing
restrictions
despite
the
platform’s
success
in
connecting
consumers
with
affordable
lawyers.

“These
ethics
opinions
relied
primarily
on
the
theory
that
by
sharing
fees
with
a
nonlawyer
(Avvo),
the
arrangement
jeopardized
the
lawyers’
ability
to
exercise
their
independent
professional
judgment
in
advising
and
representing
their
clients,”
the
report
says.
“No
known
data
supports
this
assumption.”


The
Sky
Has
Not
Fallen

APRL’s
report
points
to
jurisdictions
that
have
relaxed
fee-sharing
restrictions
without
experiencing
adverse
effects.
Key
examples
include:

  • Washington,
    D.C.
    Non-lawyer
    ownership
    in
    law
    firms
    has
    been
    permitted
    since
    1991
    under
    limited
    conditions,
    without
    an
    increase
    in
    ethics
    violations.
  • Arizona.
    The
    state
    eliminated
    Rule
    5.4
    in
    2021,
    licensing
    over
    100
    ABS
    entities
    where
    non-lawyers
    may
    hold
    ownership
    stakes.
  • Utah.
    A
    regulatory
    sandbox
    created
    in
    2020
    allows
    innovative
    fee-sharing
    models
    under
    strict
    oversight,
    with
    no
    evidence
    of
    harm
    to
    consumers.
  • International
    models.
    Countries
    like
    England,
    Wales,
    and
    Australia
    have
    allowed
    non-lawyer
    ownership
    of
    law
    firms
    for
    over
    a
    decade,
    demonstrating
    that
    such
    reforms
    can
    coexist
    with
    professional
    independence.

“Defenders
of
Rule
5.4
restrictions
tend
to
approach
the
rule
from
a
perspective
that
the
rule
is
so
critical
that
any
relaxation
of
the
rule
will
be
catastrophic,
that
the
sky
will
surely
fall
and
repercussions
of
sharing
fees
with
nonlawyers
will
be
impossible
to
control,”
the
report
says.

“A
review
of
the
jurisdictions
that
have
experimented
with
nonlawyer
fee
sharing
reveals
no
such
doomsday
scenario.” 


Access
to
Justice
and
Innovation

APRL
emphasizes
the
potential
benefits
of
its
proposal
for
consumers
and
the
legal
profession.
By
enabling
lawyers
to
collaborate
with
non-lawyers
—
including
technology
experts,
marketers,
and
financial
specialists
—
law
firms
could
deliver
services
more
efficiently
and
affordably.

Innovations
like
subscription-based
legal
services,
AI-powered
legal
tools,
and
tech-driven
platforms
could
address
gaps
in
access
to
justice.

“A
significant
disconnect
exists
in
the
United
States
between
people
needing
legal
assistance
and
the
availability
or
affordability
of
lawyers,”
the
report
says,
underscoring
the
opportunity
to
better
serve
underserved
communities.


A
Clarion
Call
for
Change

While
APRL’s
proposal
aligns
with
successful
experiments
in
several
jurisdictions,
the
ABA
has
historically
resisted
changes
to
Rule
5.4.
The
association
reaffirmed
its
support
for
the
prohibition
in
2022
through
Resolution
402,
which
took
the
position
that
innovation
can
occur
without
changing
the
prohibition
on
fee
sharing
by
lawyers.

Nevertheless,
in
this
letter
to
Bay
and
the
accompanying
report,
APRL
encourages
the
ABA
and
state
regulators
to
reconsider
their
positions
and
embrace
reforms
that
align
with
the
modern
legal
marketplace.

“APRL
encourages
the
ABA
to
lead,
rather
than
obstruct,
significant
regulatory
reform
that
will
benefit
both
lawyers
and
consumers
of
legal
services,
and
importantly,
do
no
harm,”
APRL’s
report
concludes.

In
her
letter,
Basner
said
that
APRL
hopes
to
garner
support
for
its
proposal
not
only
by
the
ABA
but
also
by
individual
U.S.
jurisdictions
willing
to
consider
changes
to
their
own
versions
of
the
rule.

“Whether
the
ABA
will
be
as
receptive
to
a
clarion
call
for
change
does
not
alter
the
fact
that
change
is
needed,”
the
report
says.

Marla Crawford Was In The Room When Legal Technology Happened: A Journey Through Legal Tech Evolution – Above the Law

Posted on by TSA Press

Imagine
a
time
when
legal
discovery
meant
sifting
through
thousands
of
paper
documents
in
a
dimly
lit
basement,
armed
with
nothing
more
than
a
highlighter
and
a
stack
of
Post-its.
Now,
picture
that
world
being
turned
upside
down
by
a
digital
revolution
that
would
forever
change
the
way
law
is
practiced.
Marla
Crawford,
general
counsel
at
Simplify,
was
not
just
a
witness
to
this
transformation;
she
was
a
key
player
in
it.

As
one
of
the
first
lawyers
to
specialize
in
e-discovery
during
the
landmark
Enron
case,
Marla
experienced
the
seismic
shift
from
manual
document
review
to
the
digital
age
of
legal
technology.
Her
journey
is
a
testament
to
the
power
of
embracing
change,
taking
risks,
and
leveraging
technology
to
stay
ahead
in
a
constantly
evolving
field.
From
the
early
days
of
e-discovery
to
the
current
wave
of
AI
innovation,
Marla
has
been
at
the
forefront,
shaping
and
adapting
to
every
new
development.

How
did
she
navigate
these
uncharted
waters,
and
what
can
her
experience
teach
us
about
the
future
of
legal
practice
in
the
age
of
technology?
Let’s
dive
into
Marla’s
story
to
explore
the
past,
present,
and
future
of
legal
technology.


From
Paper
To
Pixels:
The
Dawn
Of
E-Discovery

Marla’s
career
began
in
Biglaw
in
the
late
1980s,
a
time
when
legal
discovery
was
a
manual,
labor-intensive
process.
Lawyers
would
often
find
themselves
in
basement
rooms,
surrounded
by
towering
boxes
of
documents,
painstakingly
sifting
through
files
to
find
the
crucial
piece
of
evidence
that
could
make
or
break
a
case.
This
was
the
norm
until
the
late
1990s
when
the
Enron
scandal
erupted,
catapulting
e-discovery
into
the
spotlight.

“I
was
literally
in
the
room
when
we
built
the
first
systems
to
review
emails,”
Marla
recalls.
“We
had
to
innovate
on
the
fly,
using
technology
that
was
never
designed
for
legal
discovery,
to
handle
the
massive
amounts
of
data.”
This
experience
not
only
defined
her
career
but
also
positioned
her
as
a
pioneer
in
the
field
of
e-discovery.
The
Enron
case,
with
its
600,000
emails,
was
a
watershed
moment.
It
demonstrated
the
power
of
digital
tools
in
managing
data
that
would
have
been
impossible
to
handle
manually.


The
Challenges
And
Opportunities
Of
Being
First

Embracing
e-discovery
was
not
without
its
challenges.
“Many
of
my
peers
didn’t
see
the
potential
in
this
new
area,”
Marla
explains.
“They
viewed
it
as
grunt
work,
something
that
wasn’t
‘real’
law.”
However,
Marla
saw
it
differently.
She
recognized
early
on
that
technology
would
transform
the
legal
landscape,
creating
opportunities
for
those
willing
to
adapt.
Her
willingness
to
dive
into
the
less
glamorous
aspects
of
legal
work
—
like
sifting
through
data
—
ultimately
paid
off,
setting
her
apart
from
her
peers
and
positioning
her
as
a
leader
in
legal
tech.

For
Marla,
the
decision
to
specialize
in
e-discovery
was
partly
practical.
As
a
young
lawyer
and
a
mother,
she
found
that
focusing
on
this
emerging
area
allowed
her
to
balance
her
professional
and
personal
life
more
effectively.
Unlike
her
colleagues
who
traveled
frequently
for
trials,
Marla
could
remain
involved
in
high-profile
cases
without
leaving
the
office.
This
decision,
driven
by
both
career
strategy
and
lifestyle
needs,
turned
out
to
be
a
defining
move
that
aligned
with
the
technological
evolution
of
the
legal
field.


Navigating
The
Technological
Revolution:
The
Role
Of
Service
Providers

As
technology
became
more
integral
to
the
practice
of
law,
the
landscape
of
legal
services
began
to
change
dramatically.
Law
firms,
once
the
unchallenged
gatekeepers
of
legal
knowledge
and
expertise,
found
themselves
sharing
the
stage
with
a
new
set
of
players:
legal
service
providers.
These
companies
brought
with
them
a
range
of
professionals
—
from
technologists
and
data
scientists
to
business
strategists
—
whose
skills
were
increasingly
essential
to
managing
complex
legal
workflows.

“The
introduction
of
service
providers
into
the
legal
ecosystem
has
fundamentally
changed
the
profession,”
Marla
notes.
“We’re
no
longer
just
lawyers;
we’re
part
of
a
broader
team
that
includes
people
with
diverse
skills
and
backgrounds.
This
shift
has
made
the
practice
of
law
more
dynamic
and,
frankly,
more
exciting.”

However,
this
shift
also
brought
challenges.
Lawyers
had
to
learn
to
collaborate
with
nonlawyers,
including
technologists
who
spoke
a
different
language
and
approached
problems
from
different
angles.
This
was
not
always
an
easy
transition.
“There
was
a
lot
of
resistance
at
first,”
Marla
recalls.
“Many
lawyers
were
used
to
being
the
sole
experts
in
the
room,
and
suddenly
they
had
to
share
that
space
with
others
who
brought
different
expertise
to
the
table.”


Harnessing
The
Power
Of
Technology
In
Legal
Practice

Today,
Marla
continues
to
work
at
the
intersection
of
law
and
technology
as
the
general
counsel
of
Simplify,
a
leading
legal
technology
services
provider.
In
this
role,
she
wears
many
hats
—
not
only
providing
legal
advice
but
also
collaborating
closely
with
the
company’s
tech
development
teams
to
shape
products
that
better
serve
their
clients.

“What’s
exciting
about
being
at
Simplify
is
that
I
get
to
look
at
our
technology
from
a
user’s
perspective,”
Marla
explains.
“I
can
provide
feedback
on
what
would
have
been
useful
when
I
was
in-house,
and
help
develop
solutions
that
make
the
lives
of
legal
professionals
easier
and
more
efficient.”
This
dual
role
allows
Marla
to
bridge
the
gap
between
legal
practice
and
technological
innovation,
ensuring
that
the
tools
developed
are
truly
user-centric
and
effective.


Looking
Ahead:
The
Future
Of
Legal
Technology
And
Inclusion

Marla’s
career
reflects
a
broader
trend
in
the
legal
industry
toward
greater
integration
of
technology
and
the
diversification
of
skills
within
legal
teams.
As
artificial
intelligence
and
machine
learning
continue
to
advance,
the
legal
profession
is
poised
for
another
wave
of
transformation.
Marla
believes
that
embracing
these
changes
will
not
only
improve
efficiency
but
also
enhance
the
quality
of
legal
services
by
allowing
lawyers
to
focus
more
on
strategy
and
less
on
repetitive
tasks.

Moreover,
Marla
is
passionate
about
fostering
diversity
and
inclusion
within
the
legal
tech
space.
She
is
a
strong
advocate
for
initiatives
like
the
SPLASH
Pledge,
which
aims
to
combat
sexual
harassment
in
the
industry
and
create
safer,
more
inclusive
environments
for
all
professionals.
“It’s
crucial
that
we
make
the
legal
profession
more
welcoming
and
supportive,”
she
says.
“Diversity
isn’t
just
a
buzzword
—
it’s
about
bringing
different
perspectives
to
the
table,
which
ultimately
leads
to
better
outcomes
for
everyone.”


Embracing
Change
And
Leading
The
Way

Marla’s
story
is
a
powerful
reminder
of
the
importance
of
embracing
change
and
using
it
as
a
catalyst
for
growth.
Her
willingness
to
step
into
new
and
uncharted
territories
has
not
only
defined
her
career
but
has
also
helped
shape
the
evolution
of
legal
technology.
For
legal
professionals
at
all
stages
of
their
careers,
Marla’s
journey
offers
valuable
lessons:
stay
curious,
be
adaptable,
and
never
underestimate
the
value
of
being
the
first
to
step
into
a
new
space.

As
the
legal
field
continues
to
evolve,
those
who
are
willing
to
embrace
new
technologies
and
diverse
teams
will
be
best
positioned
to
lead.
Marla
Crawford’s
career
is
proof
that
the
intersection
of
law
and
technology
is
not
just
a
place
of
innovation,
but
also
one
of
opportunity
for
those
ready
to
seize
it.



Olga MackOlga
V.
Mack


is
a
Fellow
at
CodeX,
The
Stanford
Center
for
Legal
Informatics,
and
a
Generative
AI
Editor
at
law.MIT.
Olga
embraces
legal
innovation
and
had
dedicated
her
career
to
improving
and
shaping
the
future
of
law.
She
is
convinced
that
the
legal
profession
will
emerge
even
stronger,
more
resilient,
and
more
inclusive
than
before
by
embracing
technology.
Olga
is
also
an
award-winning
general
counsel,
operations
professional,
startup
advisor,
public
speaker,
adjunct
professor,
and
entrepreneur.
She
authored Get
on
Board:
Earning
Your
Ticket
to
a
Corporate
Board
Seat, Fundamentals
of
Smart
Contract
Security,
and  Blockchain
Value:
Transforming
Business
Models,
Society,
and
Communities. She
is
working
on
three
books:


Visual
IQ
for
Lawyers
(ABA
2024), The
Rise
of
Product
Lawyers:
An
Analytical
Framework
to
Systematically
Advise
Your
Clients
Throughout
the
Product
Lifecycle
(Globe
Law
and
Business
2024),
and
Legal
Operations
in
the
Age
of
AI
and
Data
(Globe
Law
and
Business
2024).
You
can
follow
Olga
on



LinkedIn


and
Twitter
@olgavmack.