Negotiating a Signing Bonus for Lateral Offer Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hello all--Just received a lateral offer from a law firm. Looking at the offer letter, it doesn't seem to state any signing bonus. I was wondering (a) is that normal not to have one and (b) what is the best way to negotiate for a potential one? I do want to go to the firm, but I wanted to see if people think it's possible much to push for one? and if so, how to best go about it? To be honest, I'd go there bonus or not, but it would be nice to get something.

[target_corp]

Generally, it's better to have some sort of hook (e.g., I would have gotten $x bonus if I had stayed and need to be trued-up, or heard the firm offers $x to stellar candidates, or noticed I'm in your higher hours range, whatever), but you can also just ask and see what they say.

Most people don't react poorly, and if they do, you don't want to go to that firm.

[TigerIsBack]

I think the firm also probably assumes you just got paid your bonus from your old firm in December/January. If that's not the case, like if your bonuses are paid in march or whatever, I think you can say, "I would have received X from my old firm...blah, blah, blah."

Another option is if the new firm's fiscal year started in like October or something, you could also ask them to pay you a full bonus for 2021 if you hit prorated hours. So since you'll be there for like 6 months of the fiscal year, you could try to negotiate for 100% bonus even though you only end at 50% hours next year. The justification is that presumably if you had stayed at your old firm, you'd get 100% bonus next year.

Agree with the posters above though that this is a typical ask and the firm shouldn't react negatively to it. They'll either say yes or no. I successfully got a signing bonus and they didn't even need to get it approved by anyone (based on how quickly they responded when I asked). It just took a few hours to revise the offer letter.

[Anonymous User]

Make sense, requesting some type of "true-up" seems to be the way to go. In terms of communicating it, I assume it's best to call the recruiting coordinator?

[TigerIsBack]

Make sense, requesting some type of "true-up" seems to be the way to go. In terms of communicating it, I assume it's best to call the recruiting coordinator?

I think probably whoever it was that gave you the offer. In my case, the main partner I'd be working for called to give me the offer and sent me my offer letter, so I just politely inquired with that partner about a signing bonus. If recruiting has been your sole/main contact, then yes probably best to go through them.

[Anonymous User]

Hmm, well, I got the offer from a partner, but all my communications/coordination has been with the recruiting person. I know whatever insend to recruiting team will end up at the partner anyway, but it seems easier to perhaps contact recruiting about it.