Looking to Lateral to Stoel Rives. Have a few questions Forum

[Anonymous User]

I'm looking to lateral to Stoel Rives (currently at a V20). I'm specifically interested in their energy development practice group.

Does anyone have any experience working at Stoel? If so, what's it like (particularly interested if you came from a big firm)? How's the compensation for midlevel associates? What are the benefits like?

[Anonymous User]

Comp for midlevels in SLC is not good. The whole market there is on a compressed salary scale with $5k bumps seeming to be a good annual raise for the few top firms there. First years start at $135 I believe so you can do the math from there. I think bonus is $25k if you hit 1950 hours but not positive.

[Anonymous User]

Comp for midlevels in SLC is not good. The whole market there is on a compressed salary scale with $5k bumps seeming to be a good annual raise for the few top firms there. First years start at $135 I believe so you can do the math from there. I think bonus is $25k if you hit 1950 hours but not positive.

Did OP say he/she was looking at SLC? Stoel Rives is a west coast regional firm, so OP could be talking about WA or even Alaska?

[Anonymous User]

Comp for midlevels in SLC is not good. The whole market there is on a compressed salary scale with $5k bumps seeming to be a good annual raise for the few top firms there. First years start at $135 I believe so you can do the math from there. I think bonus is $25k if you hit 1950 hours but not positive.

Did OP say he/she was looking at SLC? Stoel Rives is a west coast regional firm, so OP could be talking about WA or even Alaska?

OP here. Not to be too specific, but I'm interested in one of the CA (SD, SF, Sac), or Seattle offices

[Anonymous User]

Comp for midlevels in SLC is not good. The whole market there is on a compressed salary scale with $5k bumps seeming to be a good annual raise for the few top firms there. First years start at $135 I believe so you can do the math from there. I think bonus is $25k if you hit 1950 hours but not positive.

Did OP say he/she was looking at SLC? Stoel Rives is a west coast regional firm, so OP could be talking about WA or even Alaska?

No, OP did not identify an office so I shared knowledge of the one I did know about.

[Anonymous User]

The firm just adopted a full black box bonus structure for all associate class years (had previously been a guaranteed "productivity" bonus tied to billable hours + an additional potential discretionary bonus).

They had been discussing about possible implementing this change for a bit, though had always maintained that it would be discussed with associates further and advance notice would be given for any such changes; however, firm management decided to use the pandemic to implement it retroactively this past year.

The post-pandemic WFH policy is also still in progress, so nothing has been settled on that front yet either.

[Anonymous User]

The firm just adopted a full black box bonus structure for all associate class years (had previously been a guaranteed "productivity" bonus tied to billable hours + an additional potential discretionary bonus).

They had been discussing about possible implementing this change for a bit, though had always maintained that it would be discussed with associates further and advance notice would be given for any such changes; however, firm management decided to use the pandemic to implement it retroactively this past year.

The post-pandemic WFH policy is also still in progress, so nothing has been settled on that front yet either.

Thank you for sharing. What's your overall take on the firm? Is work-life balance typically better than at your average big firm?