Clerkship Bonus Increase Forum

[Anonymous User]

I got K&E to match the new 2-clerkship bonus of $150k. Wasn't a hassle.

[Anonymous User]

If I'm a clerk returning to a V10 firm who has not raised their clerkship bonus would it be super risky for me to apply to a V10 that has the bonus and then try to use it to negotiate. I'm wondering if these firms talk and/or my decision to do so will be deemed some sort of betrayal and have the firm sour on me. Don't want to get too greedy and end up losing everything, but that extra pre-tax 75k would certainly be helpful.

[Anonymous User]

I got K&E to match the new 2-clerkship bonus of $150k. Wasn't a hassle.

Any idea if this is a case-by-case thing or whether it's K&Es new policy?

Currently in year one of two clerking and apparently the V10 I was previously at said that they would not meet the new bonuses unless other peer firms not named Cravath raised first.

[igotolawsch00l1]

I got K&E to match the new 2-clerkship bonus of $150k. Wasn't a hassle.

did you already have an offer from cravath or quinn to leverage?

[Anonymous User]

Would it be worth asking my firm to give me the increased bonus without an offer from another firm?

[Anonymous User]

If I'm a clerk returning to a V10 firm who has not raised their clerkship bonus would it be super risky for me to apply to a V10 that has the bonus and then try to use it to negotiate. I'm wondering if these firms talk and/or my decision to do so will be deemed some sort of betrayal and have the firm sour on me. Don't want to get too greedy and end up losing everything, but that extra pre-tax 75k would certainly be helpful.

I thought it was common for clerks to apply to multiple firms, including their returning firm. Did you like already make a deal with them to come back and put it in writing?

[Anonymous User]

If I'm a clerk returning to a V10 firm who has not raised their clerkship bonus would it be super risky for me to apply to a V10 that has the bonus and then try to use it to negotiate. I'm wondering if these firms talk and/or my decision to do so will be deemed some sort of betrayal and have the firm sour on me. Don't want to get too greedy and end up losing everything, but that extra pre-tax 75k would certainly be helpful.

I thought it was common for clerks to apply to multiple firms, including their returning firm. Did you like already make a deal with them to come back and put it in writing?

It was sort of a vague deferring of my offer and saying we'll be in touch in 2025. Don't quite know how this all works and I'm afraid applying to other firms will be a faux pas.

[Anonymous User]

If I'm a clerk returning to a V10 firm who has not raised their clerkship bonus would it be super risky for me to apply to a V10 that has the bonus and then try to use it to negotiate. I'm wondering if these firms talk and/or my decision to do so will be deemed some sort of betrayal and have the firm sour on me. Don't want to get too greedy and end up losing everything, but that extra pre-tax 75k would certainly be helpful.

I thought it was common for clerks to apply to multiple firms, including their returning firm. Did you like already make a deal with them to come back and put it in writing?

It was sort of a vague deferring of my offer and saying we'll be in touch in 2025. Don't quite know how this all works and I'm afraid applying to other firms will be a faux pas.

Not a faux pas to apply broadly. I was very happy at my original firm, applied broadly during the clerkship and got no pushback (even had a few pretty helpful conversations with senior associates and a partner about my options). I stayed at the old shop in the end, it has not been a problem.

[Anonymous User]

Can anybody confirm that DPW went to 75k/100k for clerkship bonuses?

[Anonymous User]

Can anybody confirm that DPW went to 75k/100k for clerkship bonuses?

I work at DPW and haven't heard this. Not like I have an inside track to the compensation committee or anything but figure if this was widespread there would be some rumors...

[Anonymous User]

I got K&E to match the new 2-clerkship bonus of $150k. Wasn't a hassle.

did you already have an offer from cravath or quinn to leverage?

Wanted to bump this! Have an offer from K&E and have interviews with other boutiques/firms with above-market bonuses. Did you just ask outright, or did you wait until you had a second offer in hand?

[Anonymous User]

Any additional information on clerkship bonuses? Selendy Gay is 100K for one and 125K for two. Heard from an associate that Simpson might raise their bonus.

[Anonymous User]

Additional data- Holwell Shuster & Goldberg is at 150k for two clerkships.

[Anonymous User]

Hello-

Do we have any confirmation of any firm matching Cravath's $125k for a one year clerkship?

I am wanting to know whether (a) my firm matched (b) what firms to apply to if my firm did not match.

Thank you

[Anonymous User]

Hello-

Do we have any confirmation of any firm matching Cravath's $125k for a one year clerkship?

I am wanting to know whether (a) my firm matched (b) what firms to apply to if my firm did not match.

Thank you

[Anonymous User]

BSF pays as high as Cravath.

[Anonymous User]

BSF pays as high as Cravath.

Pretty sure that’s always been the case. And especially post-implosion, all BSF can do to recruit is throw cash at people and hope they blink but never open their eyes before they’re already rocking a man-bun, as 90% of BSF lawyers seem to do.

[Anonymous User]

I don't know if this is common but non-Cravath V5 has not matched but has been paying out regular bonus plus prorated bonus that was missed the year you clerked. So clerks are getting basically 3/4 of prior year's bonus and clerkship bonus - did not know it was a thing but seems pretty good.

[Anonymous User]

I got K&E to match the new 2-clerkship bonus of $150k. Wasn't a hassle.

did you already have an offer from cravath or quinn to leverage?

Either K&E made an exception for this poster, or the poster was lying. Former K&E associate clerking this year. Was told that the firm has not adopted a formal policy and are looking into it.

[Anonymous User]

K&E was unwilling to match the 150k I was offered from another firm for two clerkships, but increased to 100k from 70k. So maybe that person was an exception? Who knows.

[Anonymous User]

K&E was unwilling to match the 150k I was offered from another firm for two clerkships, but increased to 100k from 70k. So maybe that person was an exception? Who knows.

Mind saying which office? Also targeting K&E because I heard they weren't stingy with this stuff.

[Anonymous User]

K&E was unwilling to match the 150k I was offered from another firm for two clerkships, but increased to 100k from 70k. So maybe that person was an exception? Who knows.

Mind saying which office? Also targeting K&E because I heard they weren't stingy with this stuff.

[Anonymous User]

I got K&E to match the new 2-clerkship bonus of $150k. Wasn't a hassle.

did you already have an offer from cravath or quinn to leverage?

Either K&E made an exception for this poster, or the poster was lying. Former K&E associate clerking this year. Was told that the firm has not adopted a formal policy and are looking into it.

A friend recently got $150k for 2.

[Anonymous User]

I got K&E to match the new 2-clerkship bonus of $150k. Wasn't a hassle.

did you already have an offer from cravath or quinn to leverage?

Either K&E made an exception for this poster, or the poster was lying. Former K&E associate clerking this year. Was told that the firm has not adopted a formal policy and are looking into it.

A friend recently got $150k for 2.

Also heard of a friend getting matched at $150k for 2. K&E NY.

[Anonymous User]

I got K&E to match the new 2-clerkship bonus of $150k. Wasn't a hassle.

did you already have an offer from cravath or quinn to leverage?

Either K&E made an exception for this poster, or the poster was lying. Former K&E associate clerking this year. Was told that the firm has not adopted a formal policy and are looking into it.

A friend recently got $150k for 2.

Also heard of a friend getting matched at $150k for 2. K&E NY.

This is helpful data. I guess they’re proceeding case-by-case. Did your friends have super prestigious clerkships or excellent grades or something? I wonder what the criteria is, considering that other firms offering 150k don’t seem to differentiate that way.