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Income partner comp at V50 firms
Posted: Sat Jun 12, 2021 5:40 pm
by nahumya
Would appreciate any information on income partner comp at V50 firms. I know that we have some data points from Jones Day, but those are not too helpful in assessing other firms, since JD's compensation is different altogether. Thanks.
Re: Income partner comp at V50 firms
Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2021 12:34 am
by jacketyellow
This is anecdotal, but an income partner at my firm said, "I don't make that much. I probably make a little more than a senior associate." Granted, senior associates $280,000+, but there you go.
Re: Income partner comp at V50 firms
Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2021 12:41 am
by Anonymous User
Income partners make about $800k on average at good but not tippy top firms like Latham. This is an average of all income partners so, a starting income partner is likely around $600k on up.
Jones Day is more like $400k on up. That firm is a middle market TTT.
Re: Income partner comp at V50 firms
Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2021 2:37 am
by Anonymous User
I'm income partner at a V50 firm. Total comp is $550k (base and bonus) plus a 401(k) match. We're also getting the same special bonus as an 8th year this year, so add an extra $64k to that total. I'm also expecting the firm to give us the new DPW scale bump, so should be an increase of $25k going forward.
Re: Income partner comp at V50 firms
Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2021 7:55 am
by jarofsoup
Does that comp include your draw?
My sense is that senior legal staff at a Fortune 500 has potential to make a lot more money than a partner. Yet those positions are probably harder to get.
Re: Income partner comp at V50 firms
Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2021 11:23 am
by Anonymous User
I'm the prior anon. My firm treats us like associates when it comes to comp, so we just get a base salary and annual bonus. We don't get a draw. We're also treated like W-2 employees, so the firm still pays half our insurance premiums. I know income partners at some other firms have to pay full insurance premiums and self employment taxes.
Re: Income partner comp at V50 firms
Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2021 11:28 am
by cheaptilts
jarofsoup wrote: ↑Sun Jun 13, 2021 7:55 am
Does that comp include your draw?
My sense is that senior legal staff at a Fortune 500 has potential to make a lot more money than a partner. Yet those positions are probably harder to get.
Being an income partner implies that you don’t get a partner draw, which only goes to real partners (i.e., the ones who (ostensibly at least) actually share in the firm’s profits and losses). Income partners are in all effects except title salaried employees. But case law is still developing around this.
Re: Income partner comp at V50 firms
Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2021 11:32 am
by Anonymous User
cheaptilts wrote: ↑Sun Jun 13, 2021 11:28 am
jarofsoup wrote: ↑Sun Jun 13, 2021 7:55 am
Does that comp include your draw?
My sense is that senior legal staff at a Fortune 500 has potential to make a lot more money than a partner. Yet those positions are probably harder to get.
Being an income partner implies that you don’t get a partner draw, which only goes to real partners (i.e., the ones who (ostensibly at least) actually share in the firm’s profits and losses). Income partners are in all effects except title salaried employees. But case law is still developing around this.
Not always, though. @ LW at least income partners have units as well. The "income" denotes that they also get a guaranteed income (as the # of units is relatively small).
Re: Income partner comp at V50 firms
Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2021 12:02 pm
by Anonymous User
Anonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Jun 13, 2021 11:32 am
cheaptilts wrote: ↑Sun Jun 13, 2021 11:28 am
jarofsoup wrote: ↑Sun Jun 13, 2021 7:55 am
Does that comp include your draw?
My sense is that senior legal staff at a Fortune 500 has potential to make a lot more money than a partner. Yet those positions are probably harder to get.
Being an income partner implies that you don’t get a partner draw, which only goes to real partners (i.e., the ones who (ostensibly at least) actually share in the firm’s profits and losses). Income partners are in all effects except title salaried employees. But case law is still developing around this.
Not always, though. @ LW at least income partners have units as well. The "income" denotes that they also get a guaranteed income (as the # of units is relatively small).
Latham income partners do get a small number of units (about 1/5 of a first year equity partner) together with a base salary in the mid-200's. They are part of the partners bonus pool as well and I think usually range in the low to mid 100's there. The poster above it pretty good on the range (low 600's - 800's all in).
My understanding is that the unit grant to income partners at Latham is pretty rare though.
Re: Income partner comp at V50 firms
Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2021 5:15 pm
by Anonymous User
Income partner at firm in the V25-V75 range. Base is mid-300s, all-in comp is mid-400s. We are not treated as employees - I pay my own estimated taxes, don't get subsidized health insurance (though still get to participate in the firm's group plan), etc.
Re: Income partner comp at V50 firms
Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2021 5:51 pm
by 2013
Anonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Jun 13, 2021 5:15 pm
Income partner at firm in the V25-V75 range. Base is mid-300s, all-in comp is mid-400s. We are not treated as employees - I pay my own estimated taxes, don't get subsidized health insurance (though still get to participate in the firm's group plan), etc.
Does this mean you earn less as an income partner than you did as a senior associate?
Re: Income partner comp at V50 firms
Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2021 6:04 pm
by Anonymous User
2013 wrote: ↑Sun Jun 13, 2021 5:51 pm
Anonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Jun 13, 2021 5:15 pm
Income partner at firm in the V25-V75 range. Base is mid-300s, all-in comp is mid-400s. We are not treated as employees - I pay my own estimated taxes, don't get subsidized health insurance (though still get to participate in the firm's group plan), etc.
Does this mean you earn less as an income partner than you did as a senior associate?
Was thinking the same thing... that sounds like at best they are breaking even here.
Re: Income partner comp at V50 firms
Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2021 8:26 pm
by Anonymous User
Anonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Jun 13, 2021 6:04 pm
2013 wrote: ↑Sun Jun 13, 2021 5:51 pm
Anonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Jun 13, 2021 5:15 pm
Income partner at firm in the V25-V75 range. Base is mid-300s, all-in comp is mid-400s. We are not treated as employees - I pay my own estimated taxes, don't get subsidized health insurance (though still get to participate in the firm's group plan), etc.
Does this mean you earn less as an income partner than you did as a senior associate?
Was thinking the same thing... that sounds like at best they are breaking even here.
When I was at Morgan Lewis I know more than a few income partners complained they made more as associates in the year before they made partner. I think income partners at the time made like $450k all in but had to pay their own healthcare and some of the other things mentioned above that W2 employees don't have to deal with, and I believe at the time a senior associate hitting their bonus made $440k.
Re: Income partner comp at V50 firms
Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2021 10:01 pm
by Anonymous User
I've heard of lateraling partners starting at 700k at Greenberg traurig.
Re: Income partner comp at V50 firms
Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2021 10:30 pm
by 2013
Anonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Jun 13, 2021 10:01 pm
I've heard of partners starting at 700k at Greenberg traurig.
I find that very hard to believe. Do you mean starting for equity?
Re: Income partner comp at V50 firms
Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2021 10:32 pm
by Anonymous User
I fixed the GT statement above. I meant partners lateraling in with or without a book of business.
Re: Income partner comp at V50 firms
Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2021 10:36 pm
by Anonymous User
Anonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Jun 13, 2021 12:41 am
Income partners make about $800k on average at good but not tippy top firms like Latham. This is an average of all income partners so, a starting income partner is likely around $600k on up.
Jones Day is more like $400k on up. That firm is a middle market TTT.
I'm not sure if this is a troll or just a misinformed poster. Latham is the highest-ranked firm with non-equity partners. $800k is not average, it is high. And Jones Day has only a single partnership class (not income partners) and that average is dragged down by offices in small cities (Pittsburgh, Detroit) and overseas.
Re: Income partner comp at V50 firms
Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2021 9:57 am
by Anonymous User
My understanding from income partner friends at my v50 is that they make only slightly above what the senior associates make (if above at all). Cravath scale. No draw.
Re: Income partner comp at V50 firms
Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2021 11:46 am
by Anonymous User
As of 2020 they made a base of $375k with an expectation of a $100k bonus for meeting their hours target. So basically they made only $35k more than 8th year associates at the time.
Re: Income partner comp at V50 firms
Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2021 1:05 pm
by Anonymous User
Anonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Jun 13, 2021 10:36 pm
Anonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Jun 13, 2021 12:41 am
Income partners make about $800k on average at good but not tippy top firms like Latham. This is an average of all income partners so, a starting income partner is likely around $600k on up.
Jones Day is more like $400k on up. That firm is a middle market TTT.
I'm not sure if this is a troll or just a misinformed poster. Latham is the highest-ranked firm with non-equity partners. $800k is not average, it is high. And Jones Day has only a single partnership class (not income partners) and that average is dragged down by offices in small cities (Pittsburgh, Detroit) and overseas.
What nonsense. Jones Day, within its equity partner tier, has a percentage participant and non-percentage participant distinction that completely replicates the equity and income partner distinction at other law firms that have conventional naming. The only people who are stupid enough to be fooled by that distinction are the same idiots who are stupid enough to be fooled into thinking that Jones Day pays market salaries to any appreciable number of people in its major offices.
And yes there are “partners” at Jones Day in NY and LA who are making $400k on up. There would not be at Latham.
Re: Income partner comp at V50 firms
Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2021 1:28 pm
by nahumya
Thanks, all. This is depressing AF.
Re: Income partner comp at V50 firms
Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2021 3:32 pm
by Anonymous User
nahumya wrote: ↑Mon Jun 14, 2021 1:28 pm
Thanks, all. This is depressing AF.
It helps the firm market you out to clients, and it helps you market yourself out to potential clients and a resume line.
From what I understand, junior income partners are pretty flat with associates. However, if you’re on path to equity, comp starts pushing closer to starting equity partner comp (which usually starts around $1M at my V30). So thriving income partners might see closer to $750K, for instance.
Re: Income partner comp at V50 firms
Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2021 4:10 pm
by Anonymous User
Anonymous User wrote: ↑Mon Jun 14, 2021 3:32 pm
nahumya wrote: ↑Mon Jun 14, 2021 1:28 pm
Thanks, all. This is depressing AF.
It helps the firm market you out to clients, and it helps you market yourself out to potential clients and a resume line.
From what I understand, junior income partners are pretty flat with associates. However, if you’re on path to equity, comp starts pushing closer to starting equity partner comp (which usually starts around $1M at my V30). So thriving income partners might see closer to $750K, for instance.
It’s better than being paid 8th year salary for 2-4 years while you wait for equity partnership at a single tier partnership firm. My firm is only a single tier firm and we have 12th year associates still waiting for an opening
Re: Income partner comp at V50 firms
Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2021 4:34 pm
by Sackboy
Not sure how it's depressing to likely be between 33-37 making $500k/yr. with a very real shot at $1M/yr.+ by the time you're 40, but OK.
Re: Income partner comp at V50 firms
Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2021 4:40 pm
by Anonymous User
nahumya wrote: ↑Mon Jun 14, 2021 1:28 pm
Thanks, all. This is depressing AF.
This is what's wrong with this profession. Income partners make between $400k and 800k a year and somehow that's depressing? Even if you never make equity partner, you're talking income of $12 to $24 mil over the rest of your career. How in the world is that depressing?