Top Law Schools

Above the Law was keeping track of firms that paid 2021 special bonuses at some point, but they seem to have stopped keeping the list. Since the bonus announcements also seem to have stopped, I thought it might be helpful to put together a list of AmLaw firms that haven't paid 2021 special bonuses. Could be something useful for law students and laterals to take into account when considering which firms to apply to over the next few years. Anyone willing to start naming and shaming?

Firms that Have Not Paid 2021 Bonuses (by 2021 AmLaw ranking):

59. Nixon Peabody
63. Seyfarth Shaw
90. Davis Wright Tremaine
93. Fox Rothschild
95. Akerman
98. Ballard Spahr
106. Manatt, Phelps & Phillips
113. Bracewell
115. Snell Wilmer
157. Carlton Fields
175. Williams Mullen
N/A. Keker, Van Nest & Peters
N/A. Kellogg Hansen

AFAIK, the following firms have not paid special bonuses (please correct if I'm wrong though):

1. Ballard Spahr
2. Fox Rothschild
3. Davis Wright Tremaine
4. Nixon Peabody
5. Manatt

Not sure what its AmLaw ranking is but Bracewell is one of the only firms in Texas that has not paid them.

Not sure what its AmLaw ranking is but Bracewell is one of the only firms in Texas that has not paid them.

Focusing on Florida firms, Holland & Knight has paid bonuses and also given associates pay raises. Foley & Lardner has paid bonuses. Does anyone know if Greenberg Traurig has paid bonuses? Akerman has not. Carlton Fields and some of the other smaller Florida firms haven't paid bonuses either, but that's not unexpected.

Seyfarth Shaw

we had a whole google doc for this

Anonymous User wrote: ↑

Thu May 27, 2021 4:32 pm

Focusing on Florida firms, Holland & Knight has paid bonuses and also given associates pay raises. Foley & Lardner has paid bonuses. Does anyone know if Greenberg Traurig has paid bonuses? Akerman has not. Carlton Fields and some of the other smaller Florida firms haven't paid bonuses either, but that's not unexpected.

GT paid

Vault #2 litigation boutique Keker, Van Nest & Peters has paid $0 in special bonuses this year.

No announcement either way, but the word is that special bonuses are unlikely.

People are upset.

No bonuses at Snell & Wilmer either

Does anyone know if MTO and Kellogg Hansen paid (I know KH is putatively above market, but they seem to be slipping in recent years)?

Anonymous User wrote: ↑

Sat May 29, 2021 6:00 pm

Does anyone know if MTO and Kellogg Hansen paid (I know KH is putatively above market, but they seem to be slipping in recent years)?

Yes to MTO, not sure on KH.

Have any of the Delaware firms paid special bonuses?

Anonymous User wrote: ↑

Fri May 28, 2021 8:02 pm

Anonymous User wrote: ↑

Thu May 27, 2021 4:32 pm

Focusing on Florida firms, Holland & Knight has paid bonuses and also given associates pay raises. Foley & Lardner has paid bonuses. Does anyone know if Greenberg Traurig has paid bonuses? Akerman has not. Carlton Fields and some of the other smaller Florida firms haven't paid bonuses either, but that's not unexpected.

GT paid

Did GT pay ALL of their offices or just major markets (NY, DC, etc.?)

Update: both Nixon Peabody and Akerman have recently paid special bonuses, though Nixon Peabody's are weird and non-market and Akerman has a high hours requirement.

KH has not paid special bonuses (yet).

Williams Mullen has not paid special bonuses.

Anonymous User wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 12, 2021 7:38 pm

Update: both Nixon Peabody and Akerman have recently paid special bonuses, though Nixon Peabody's are weird and non-market and Akerman has a high hours requirement.

I’m curious about the Akerman bonuses. Potentially considering a move there once all the dust settles. I didn’t see an announcement on above the law. What are the amounts? Hours requirements?

Any scuttlebutt from folks at / w/ contacts at Seyfarth? The firm seems financially healthy and growing from all accounts I've seen; wonder why they're being stubborn.

Anonymous User wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 12, 2021 10:37 pm

Anonymous User wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 12, 2021 7:38 pm

Update: both Nixon Peabody and Akerman have recently paid special bonuses, though Nixon Peabody's are weird and non-market and Akerman has a high hours requirement.

I’m curious about the Akerman bonuses. Potentially considering a move there once all the dust settles. I didn’t see an announcement on above the law. What are the amounts? Hours requirements?

They're paying the market bonus, 1/3 in June and 2/3 in October, but only to people on track to bill 2300 hours. People on track to bill 2000-2299 hours get a bonus of 10% of their salary, paid 1/3 in June and 2/3 in October. As you would expect, associates on track to bill 2300 are happy and everyone else is upset.

Double post.

Triple post.

Quadruple post.

Quintuple post.

Anonymous User wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 13, 2021 1:59 am

Quintuple post.

Have any firms paid? A lot have announced,
But a lot won’t make a first payment until like July.