2015 Biglaw Boneus Thread Forum

[Desert Fox]

[rahulg91]

no announcement from Quin yet. any thoughts on whether they might go bigger given they scrapped their SA program this year in favor of being able to dedicate that money elsewhere?

Yea the firm who doesn't even pay market for 2099 hours worked is going to raise market. Even if they tried, nobody would follow. Nobody follows K&E.

y doesnt anyone follow K&E?

tbf, a good argument is that K&E does black box, so it's impossible to actually follow them.

Another explanation is that V5 don't view the V20 as true competitors.

Then why do we care about Paul, Weiss and STB? (If this was sarcasm then I'm dumb)

[jbagelboy]

no announcement from Quin yet. any thoughts on whether they might go bigger given they scrapped their SA program this year in favor of being able to dedicate that money elsewhere?

Yea the firm who doesn't even pay market for 2099 hours worked is going to raise market. Even if they tried, nobody would follow. Nobody follows K&E.

y doesnt anyone follow K&E?

tbf, a good argument is that K&E does black box, so it's impossible to actually follow them.

Another explanation is that V5 don't view the V20 as true competitors.

Vault doesn't really mean anything but a new york V5 definitely considers many of the V20 in its peer group. Probably not like jones day or white & case, but most of the others.

[Anonymous User]

I never really researched the bonus structure before, and google just has tons of ATL articles not on point when you search associate bonus scale. What is the general average for a second through fourth year? Is 225k total income possible for a third year? Also, are perks like car service and seamless taxable income? I'm trying to gauge whether it's ever worth it to take a car, and if you pay taxes on the add'l $80, then you're still spending $35ish for the car.

[Desert Fox]

[2014]

I never really researched the bonus structure before, and google just has tons of ATL articles not on point when you search associate bonus scale. What is the general average for a second through fourth year? Is 225k total income possible for a third year? Also, are perks like car service and seamless taxable income? I'm trying to gauge whether it's ever worth it to take a car, and if you pay taxes on the add'l $80, then you're still spending $35ish for the car.

The cars are competitively priced with cabs, the cost to the firm/client is not even close to $80 (though it doesn't matter bc of DFs point).

[Br3v]

I never really researched the bonus structure before, and google just has tons of ATL articles not on point when you search associate bonus scale. What is the general average for a second through fourth year? Is 225k total income possible for a third year? Also, are perks like car service and seamless taxable income? I'm trying to gauge whether it's ever worth it to take a car, and if you pay taxes on the add'l $80, then you're still spending $35ish for the car.

1) Base income is 185k. This year the bonus was 25 for "rising third years" and 50 for "rising 4th years." So either 210k or 235 depending how you look at it.

2) taxis home and seamless aren't perks. They reimbursable expenses (i.e. not taxed) for working late. After you do it, you'd never want to stay late just to get some shitty sushi for free.

How often do you stay late enough for seamless/taxis? Every night? Actually, probably not thread but ill ask here anyways, how much do you tend to work on the weekend?

[kaiser]

I never really researched the bonus structure before, and google just has tons of ATL articles not on point when you search associate bonus scale. What is the general average for a second through fourth year? Is 225k total income possible for a third year? Also, are perks like car service and seamless taxable income? I'm trying to gauge whether it's ever worth it to take a car, and if you pay taxes on the add'l $80, then you're still spending $35ish for the car.

1) Base income is 185k. This year the bonus was 25 for "rising third years" and 50 for "rising 4th years." So either 210k or 235 depending how you look at it.

2) taxis home and seamless aren't perks. They reimbursable expenses (i.e. not taxed) for working late. After you do it, you'd never want to stay late just to get some shitty sushi for free.

How often do you stay late enough for seamless/taxis? Every night? Actually, probably not thread but ill ask here anyways, how much do you tend to work on the weekend?

I myself end up taking a cab home (and doing seamless) maybe twice per week. For the most part, if I have to work late, I much prefer to just go home and work remotely as opposed to sitting in my office and not seeing my wife at all. As for weekends, I usually spend a few hours working, but its almost always just remote work that can be finished up with enough time to spare to have a free late afternoon and evening.

[5ky]

I never really researched the bonus structure before, and google just has tons of ATL articles not on point when you search associate bonus scale. What is the general average for a second through fourth year? Is 225k total income possible for a third year? Also, are perks like car service and seamless taxable income? I'm trying to gauge whether it's ever worth it to take a car, and if you pay taxes on the add'l $80, then you're still spending $35ish for the car.

1) Base income is 185k. This year the bonus was 25 for "rising third years" and 50 for "rising 4th years." So either 210k or 235 depending how you look at it.

2) taxis home and seamless aren't perks. They reimbursable expenses (i.e. not taxed) for working late. After you do it, you'd never want to stay late just to get some shitty sushi for free.

How often do you stay late enough for seamless/taxis? Every night? Actually, probably not thread but ill ask here anyways, how much do you tend to work on the weekend?

depends what you're doing. i'm in corp, so mine tends to be more like, one month stay late every day and work on weekends, then one month of eating at home every day and not working on weekends. if it gets really busy it can get bad very quickly.

[Hutz_and_Goodman]

With regard to cab/seamless, I've noticed that single people are more likely to stay in the office to have dinner than married people (or people with kids). i've only done seamless+cab three or four times so far, but many times I have left the office at 7/730 and then worked 2-3 hours at home.

[curepure]

With regard to cab/seamless, I've noticed that single people are more likely to stay in the office to have dinner than married people (or people with kids). i've only done seamless+cab three or four times so far, but many times I have left the office at 7/730 and then worked 2-3 hours at home.

I have also noticed that at my firm. If I have no plans for the night, I might as well work for another 2 hours to get dinner on the client then cab home.

[Dafaq]

Anyone know anything about the bonuses at Jackson Walker and/or Pepper Hamilton?

[anonnymouse]

I hear there is a crew installing SHATTERPROOF glass at 53rd/Lex. Apparently the same guys were in Chicago yesterday just outside the Loop.

[Anonymous User]

Smaller biglaw firm here that doesn't do lock-step bonuses. Got 80% of the Cravath/DPW scale. I am on reduced hours though, so I imagine others got more.

[Anonymous User]

http://abovethelaw.com/2015/12/associat ... ival-firm/

I know Kirkland's bonuses are different but “Kirkland NYC 2nd year weighing in – more than $25K. At less than 1800 hrs. Very happy.”?

[Anonymous User]

Anybody care to weigh in on DE big four bonuses?

[Anonymous User]

The cap at RLF for any class year is 15k

[Clearly]

http://abovethelaw.com/2015/12/associat ... ival-firm/

I know Kirkland's bonuses are different but “Kirkland NYC 2nd year weighing in – more than $25K. At less than 1800 hrs. Very happy.”?

Unless he or she is on reduced time, they should be saving that bonus in their emergency fund...

[Anonymous User]

had to revive this thread, it's happening http://abovethelaw.com/2016/01/associat ... ighs-in/2/

[Danger Zone]

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