Fall bonuses Forum

[Anonymous User]

Goodwin just announced the same...the COVID bonuses will be reflected in EOY bonuses, which are paid at the end of January.

Well, not surprised after the stealths. Signed, associate whose hope has been killed.

Right there with you, brother. Signed, Goodwin midlevel that's ready to burn down the Boston office

Goodwin midlevel that's shocked that they committed to including COVID bonuses in the EOY bonuses.

Cosigned by a Goodwin midlevel that won't be sticking around until January to find out if they really do.

Are all midlevels at Goodwin miserable right now? (current unhappy Goodwin midlevel)

[Anonymous User]

Goodwin just announced the same...the COVID bonuses will be reflected in EOY bonuses, which are paid at the end of January.

Well, not surprised after the stealths. Signed, associate whose hope has been killed.

Right there with you, brother. Signed, Goodwin midlevel that's ready to burn down the Boston office

Goodwin midlevel that's shocked that they committed to including COVID bonuses in the EOY bonuses.

Cosigned by a Goodwin midlevel that won't be sticking around until January to find out if they really do.

Are all midlevels at Goodwin miserable right now? (current unhappy Goodwin midlevel)

Same midlevel finding the exit. Yes, that's my sense from talking to colleagues. The special bonus was viewed as a possible positive for us having all been overworked for months. Hard to hear not going to happen when all we've been getting from management are emails about how well the firm is doing, how we're #1 in a whole bunch of categories for the year and that if we want extra bonuses we should focus on recruiting other midlevels to come help. This is par for the course with Goodwin's nickel and diming and I'd be surprised if more of the midlevels don't also find their way out.

[Anonymous User]

Goodwin just announced the same...the COVID bonuses will be reflected in EOY bonuses, which are paid at the end of January.

Well, not surprised after the stealths. Signed, associate whose hope has been killed.

Right there with you, brother. Signed, Goodwin midlevel that's ready to burn down the Boston office

Goodwin midlevel that's shocked that they committed to including COVID bonuses in the EOY bonuses.

Cosigned by a Goodwin midlevel that won't be sticking around until January to find out if they really do.

Are all midlevels at Goodwin miserable right now? (current unhappy Goodwin midlevel)

Same midlevel finding the exit. Yes, that's my sense from talking to colleagues. The special bonus was viewed as a possible positive for us having all been overworked for months. Hard to hear not going to happen when all we've been getting from management are emails about how well the firm is doing, how we're #1 in a whole bunch of categories for the year and that if we want extra bonuses we should focus on recruiting other midlevels to come help. This is par for the course with Goodwin's nickel and diming and I'd be surprised if more of the midlevels don't also find their way out.

First associate here (junior/midlevel I'd say). After watching members of my group getting stealthed and then the piling on of work for those of us "lucky" enough to remain standing, AND THEN asking us to recruit more midlevels in order to maybe get a special bonus, yes it's frustrating. I get that adding the bonuses to our EOY is better than not getting it at all, but as the poster above pointed out, there's lots of nickel and diming so I'm not confident at all that we'll end up being paid the same as those at DPW, Milbank, etc.

[Anonymous User]

Goodwin mid-level here. I'm not sure why the firm has such a bad reputation on this forum so I just wanted to chime in and add a more positive perspective into the mix. I do think Goodwin will true us up at the end of the year and I don't think that anything that sucks about Goodwin is unique to Goodwin. Big law sucks but between the two law firms I've worked at, Goodwin has sucked significantly less. Most of the associates I work with seem pretty happy and have pretty decent work/life balance, pandemic notwithstanding. I'm also not entirely sure where the cheap comments come from since our interoffice travel policy is among one of the most extravagant benefits I've heard of at a law firm (obviously not in use anymore...).

[Anonymous User]

Goodwin mid-level here. I'm not sure why the firm has such a bad reputation on this forum so I just wanted to chime in and add a more positive perspective into the mix. I do think Goodwin will true us up at the end of the year and I don't think that anything that sucks about Goodwin is unique to Goodwin. Big law sucks but between the two law firms I've worked at, Goodwin has sucked significantly less. Most of the associates I work with seem pretty happy and have pretty decent work/life balance, pandemic notwithstanding. I'm also not entirely sure where the cheap comments come from since our interoffice travel policy is among one of the most extravagant benefits I've heard of at a law firm (obviously not in use anymore...).

what is the interoffice travel policy?

[Anonymous User]

Goodwin mid-level here. I'm not sure why the firm has such a bad reputation on this forum so I just wanted to chime in and add a more positive perspective into the mix. I do think Goodwin will true us up at the end of the year and I don't think that anything that sucks about Goodwin is unique to Goodwin. Big law sucks but between the two law firms I've worked at, Goodwin has sucked significantly less. Most of the associates I work with seem pretty happy and have pretty decent work/life balance, pandemic notwithstanding. I'm also not entirely sure where the cheap comments come from since our interoffice travel policy is among one of the most extravagant benefits I've heard of at a law firm (obviously not in use anymore...).

I'd also point out that only those who make hours will be trued up cause they will be the only ones eligible for bonuses. Everyone who isn't going to make hours gets nothing still, which I thought was the point of the COVID bonsues.

[Anonymous User]

Goodwin mid-level here. I'm not sure why the firm has such a bad reputation on this forum so I just wanted to chime in and add a more positive perspective into the mix. I do think Goodwin will true us up at the end of the year and I don't think that anything that sucks about Goodwin is unique to Goodwin. Big law sucks but between the two law firms I've worked at, Goodwin has sucked significantly less. Most of the associates I work with seem pretty happy and have pretty decent work/life balance, pandemic notwithstanding. I'm also not entirely sure where the cheap comments come from since our interoffice travel policy is among one of the most extravagant benefits I've heard of at a law firm (obviously not in use anymore...).

what is the interoffice travel policy?

You can fly to any city where they have a Goodwin office to "work" and they will comp airfare, car (rental or ubers) and hotel plus meals with very little questions asked. Best use cases I've seen are where you have a buddy having a wedding in X city with a Goodwin office, you fly out on Thursday, work in the office in X city on Friday and then stay through the weekend and fly back on Monday. Your weekend expenses are on you but they reimburse your flight and weekday costs. When you get back you just tell your secretary that you were doing some interoffice networking. There isn't really a cap on hotel prices either, just don't be stupid, and they'll upgrade your seat on your flight depending on your seniority.

[Anonymous User]

Willkie paying DPW-style fall bonuses. Expect confirmation on ATL within the hour

[Ultramar vistas]

Goodwin mid-level here. I'm not sure why the firm has such a bad reputation on this forum so I just wanted to chime in and add a more positive perspective into the mix. I do think Goodwin will true us up at the end of the year and I don't think that anything that sucks about Goodwin is unique to Goodwin. Big law sucks but between the two law firms I've worked at, Goodwin has sucked significantly less. Most of the associates I work with seem pretty happy and have pretty decent work/life balance, pandemic notwithstanding. I'm also not entirely sure where the cheap comments come from since our interoffice travel policy is among one of the most extravagant benefits I've heard of at a law firm (obviously not in use anymore...).

what is the interoffice travel policy?

You can fly to any city where they have a Goodwin office to "work" and they will comp airfare, car (rental or ubers) and hotel plus meals with very little questions asked. Best use cases I've seen are where you have a buddy having a wedding in X city with a Goodwin office, you fly out on Thursday, work in the office in X city on Friday and then stay through the weekend and fly back on Monday. Your weekend expenses are on you but they reimburse your flight and weekday costs. When you get back you just tell your secretary that you were doing some interoffice networking. There isn't really a cap on hotel prices either, just don't be stupid, and they'll upgrade your seat on your flight depending on your seniority.

That is a phenomenal benefit.

[sms18]

Goodwin mid-level here. I'm not sure why the firm has such a bad reputation on this forum so I just wanted to chime in and add a more positive perspective into the mix. I do think Goodwin will true us up at the end of the year and I don't think that anything that sucks about Goodwin is unique to Goodwin. Big law sucks but between the two law firms I've worked at, Goodwin has sucked significantly less. Most of the associates I work with seem pretty happy and have pretty decent work/life balance, pandemic notwithstanding. I'm also not entirely sure where the cheap comments come from since our interoffice travel policy is among one of the most extravagant benefits I've heard of at a law firm (obviously not in use anymore...).

You noted some positives about the firm (including the interoffice travel policy, which seems quite nice), but what are your thoughts on the recent stealthing by the firm and then telling associates to go out and find some midlevels? Is that "typical" biglaw shenanigans from your perspective?

[Anonymous User]

PW associate paging that other PW midlevel that knows how and when our partners are paid: Please ask the associates committee to tell Brad to explain how he intends to compensate us for the humiliation of earning less than Shearman, Freshfields and Willkie associates for 2+ months.

[NoLongerALurker]

Willkie paying DPW-style fall bonuses. Expect confirmation on ATL within the hour

SkaTTTen and Paul TTTweiss associates in shambles. Driving around downtown New York begging (thru texts) Gartner's family for address to Cerabino's home.

[Anonymous User]

Goodwin mid-level here. I'm not sure why the firm has such a bad reputation on this forum so I just wanted to chime in and add a more positive perspective into the mix. I do think Goodwin will true us up at the end of the year and I don't think that anything that sucks about Goodwin is unique to Goodwin. Big law sucks but between the two law firms I've worked at, Goodwin has sucked significantly less. Most of the associates I work with seem pretty happy and have pretty decent work/life balance, pandemic notwithstanding. I'm also not entirely sure where the cheap comments come from since our interoffice travel policy is among one of the most extravagant benefits I've heard of at a law firm (obviously not in use anymore...).

You noted some positives about the firm (including the interoffice travel policy, which seems quite nice), but what are your thoughts on the recent stealthing by the firm and then telling associates to go out and find some midlevels? Is that "typical" biglaw shenanigans from your perspective?

I don't mean to derail this entire thread but I'll answer on this just to provide further color for anyone who may be considering Goodwin but is on edge because of the stuff on this forum. Clearly I don't know everyone who was stealthed but the two people I did know saw it coming for months (they knew they were on thin ice and had been mailing it in for a while, and had multiple formal reviews putting them on notice). My practice group had been aggressively hiring pre-pandemic and always encouraged us to recruit midlevels, so I didn't necessarily attribute recruiting's message as a direct result of the stealths (our referral bonus has always been laughably high). While I agree that it is unequivocally fucked up for a firm to fire a ton of midlevels and then turn around and hire different ones and I don't think that's "typical big law shenanigans," I'm not fully convinced that is what happened here. Now clearly the firm and the partnership have a vested interest in making the stealths out to be underperformers which is probably unfair in some cases, but anecdotally, the two people I knew who got fired outright said they were doing a shit job and were expecting it. So, in this case, I do think it's typical to get canned if you're doing a shit job, which I also saw happen at my previous firm.

On to congratulating Willkie associates then...

[legalpotato]

Willkie paying DPW-style fall bonuses. Expect confirmation on ATL within the hour

My humiliation is now complete. VTTTen my a**. Congrats to Wilkie assocs though. Also, basically never have anything nice to say about ATL, but really have been appreciating that they have been taking a note from us and not letting this "but optics" rhetoric fly.

[Anonymous User]

Goodwin mid-level here. I'm not sure why the firm has such a bad reputation on this forum so I just wanted to chime in and add a more positive perspective into the mix. I do think Goodwin will true us up at the end of the year and I don't think that anything that sucks about Goodwin is unique to Goodwin. Big law sucks but between the two law firms I've worked at, Goodwin has sucked significantly less. Most of the associates I work with seem pretty happy and have pretty decent work/life balance, pandemic notwithstanding. I'm also not entirely sure where the cheap comments come from since our interoffice travel policy is among one of the most extravagant benefits I've heard of at a law firm (obviously not in use anymore...).

You noted some positives about the firm (including the interoffice travel policy, which seems quite nice), but what are your thoughts on the recent stealthing by the firm and then telling associates to go out and find some midlevels? Is that "typical" biglaw shenanigans from your perspective?

I don't mean to derail this entire thread but I'll answer on this just to provide further color for anyone who may be considering Goodwin but is on edge because of the stuff on this forum. Clearly I don't know everyone who was stealthed but the two people I did know saw it coming for months (they knew they were on thin ice and had been mailing it in for a while, and had multiple formal reviews putting them on notice). My practice group had been aggressively hiring pre-pandemic and always encouraged us to recruit midlevels, so I didn't necessarily attribute recruiting's message as a direct result of the stealths (our referral bonus has always been laughably high). While I agree that it is unequivocally fucked up for a firm to fire a ton of midlevels and then turn around and hire different ones and I don't think that's "typical big law shenanigans," I'm not fully convinced that is what happened here. Now clearly the firm and the partnership have a vested interest in making the stealths out to be underperformers which is probably unfair in some cases, but anecdotally, the two people I knew who got fired outright said they were doing a shit job and were expecting it. So, in this case, I do think it's typical to get canned if you're doing a shit job, which I also saw happen at my previous firm.

On to congratulating Willkie associates then...

Another Goodwin midlevel and the above accurately represents what I've seen as well and in conversations I've had with a few partners on the matter.

[LBJ's Hair]

if Goodwin is firing people to save money and telling them that it's a performance thing that's fucking bullshit. if they're just replacing underperformers with laterals I'm not sure what the big deal is?

[Anonymous User]

Goodwin mid-level here. I'm not sure why the firm has such a bad reputation on this forum so I just wanted to chime in and add a more positive perspective into the mix. I do think Goodwin will true us up at the end of the year and I don't think that anything that sucks about Goodwin is unique to Goodwin. Big law sucks but between the two law firms I've worked at, Goodwin has sucked significantly less. Most of the associates I work with seem pretty happy and have pretty decent work/life balance, pandemic notwithstanding. I'm also not entirely sure where the cheap comments come from since our interoffice travel policy is among one of the most extravagant benefits I've heard of at a law firm (obviously not in use anymore...).

You noted some positives about the firm (including the interoffice travel policy, which seems quite nice), but what are your thoughts on the recent stealthing by the firm and then telling associates to go out and find some midlevels? Is that "typical" biglaw shenanigans from your perspective?

I don't mean to derail this entire thread but I'll answer on this just to provide further color for anyone who may be considering Goodwin but is on edge because of the stuff on this forum. Clearly I don't know everyone who was stealthed but the two people I did know saw it coming for months (they knew they were on thin ice and had been mailing it in for a while, and had multiple formal reviews putting them on notice). My practice group had been aggressively hiring pre-pandemic and always encouraged us to recruit midlevels, so I didn't necessarily attribute recruiting's message as a direct result of the stealths (our referral bonus has always been laughably high). While I agree that it is unequivocally fucked up for a firm to fire a ton of midlevels and then turn around and hire different ones and I don't think that's "typical big law shenanigans," I'm not fully convinced that is what happened here. Now clearly the firm and the partnership have a vested interest in making the stealths out to be underperformers which is probably unfair in some cases, but anecdotally, the two people I knew who got fired outright said they were doing a shit job and were expecting it. So, in this case, I do think it's typical to get canned if you're doing a shit job, which I also saw happen at my previous firm.

On to congratulating Willkie associates then...

Another Goodwin midlevel chiming in here. Honestly you can get all the information that you need to know by the fact that the rebuttal to stealthing is that the firm apparently has some interoffice travel policy or something. Wonderful. Makes up for the firing dozens of people.

This forum is a battle of anecdotes. I know several associates that were unjustly fired and completely blindsided - including high billers. More than two. I know multiple people that had materially exceeded the hours threshold as well as those that had received above market bonuses prior to having a sudden performance "decline."

Yesterday's announcement made it official that the firm does not pay market. We will have to come back to this thread at the end of January but time will tell if all of the posters here get the full fall bonus. Call me a skeptic but why should associates have faith the firm will true up when this very same law firm fired many associates at the immediate start of the recession only to publicly and internally deny it for months? For now there is confirmation that the firm has no interest in actually being a "market leading" firm on comp.

Myself and those I know may be the outliers here. Certainly possible. But the only associates that i know are happy are either fresh laterals or the favorites of the group that predictably get shown favoritism. These posters may not fall into other categories. But if you are considering lateralling try to acknowledge the negative feedback and not just the cheerleading. Keep in mind that the "pro" voices are also those who were not the most affected in getting stealthed. Not sure I would count on being one of the lucky people.

[Anonymous User]

Cleary just announced that it would "pay bonuses on our regular year end schedule. The Firm remains committed to paying competitive compensation, including bonuses, to our associates."

I'm leaving in Jan.if we don't include fall bonuses at EOY.

[Anonymous User]

Cleary just announced that it would "pay bonuses on our regular year end schedule. The Firm remains committed to paying competitive compensation, including bonuses, to our associates."

I'm leaving in Jan.if we don't include fall bonuses at EOY.

rising 4th year. im done with this firm if the bonus isnt matched at year end

[Anonymous User]

Cleary announces no fall bonus, hints at EOY bump -- "The Firm remains committed to paying competitive compensation, including bonuses, to our associates." Personally I'm fine with it because the managing partner sent us a brave and thoughtful email this morning about National Coming Out Day and the Human Rights Campaign (who would have received my bonus anyway).

[Anonymous User]

Cleary just announced that it would "pay bonuses on our regular year end schedule. The Firm remains committed to paying competitive compensation, including bonuses, to our associates."

I'm leaving in Jan.if we don't include fall bonuses at EOY.

rising 4th year. im done with this firm if the bonus isnt matched at year end

same. The email didn’t even acknowledge how high demand has been for some groups during the pandemic.

[Anonymous User]

Cleary announces no fall bonus, hints at EOY bump -- "The Firm remains committed to paying competitive compensation, including bonuses, to our associates." Personally I'm fine with it because the managing partner sent us a brave and thoughtful email this morning about National Coming Out Day and the Human Rights Campaign (who would have received my bonus anyway).

Many of us are not fine with it. We’ve been getting crushed all pandemic and it isn’t letting up.

[Anonymous User]

Cleary announces no fall bonus, hints at EOY bump -- "The Firm remains committed to paying competitive compensation, including bonuses, to our associates." Personally I'm fine with it because the managing partner sent us a brave and thoughtful email this morning about National Coming Out Day and the Human Rights Campaign (who would have received my bonus anyway).

Many of us are not fine with it. We’ve been getting crushed all pandemic and it isn’t letting up.

Nice for the firm to confirm that our friends who defected to Freshfields earlier this year had the right idea.

[daedalus2309]

lol at the Goodwin (badlose) associate who's like, it's worth it to give up 10k + in bonuses because the firm will buy me 3 or 4 $300 plane tickets a year

[Anonymous User]

Cleary announces no fall bonus, hints at EOY bump -- "The Firm remains committed to paying competitive compensation, including bonuses, to our associates." Personally I'm fine with it because the managing partner sent us a brave and thoughtful email this morning about National Coming Out Day and the Human Rights Campaign (who would have received my bonus anyway).

Many of us are not fine with it. We’ve been getting crushed all pandemic and it isn’t letting up.

Nice for the firm to confirm that our friends who defected to Freshfields earlier this year had the right idea.

Currently regretting not joining them. Wonder if the offer is still open.