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Anonymous User wrote: ↑Tue Nov 16, 2021 3:48 pmWhat is the largest signing bonus people have heard that Kirkland has paid to mid levels? Trying to figure out if it’s worth suffering at K&E for a year to pocket the cash and then leave biglaw.
For background, I’m class of 2017 PE/M&A associate at a V10 in NYC right now.
Class year/group? WowAnonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Nov 17, 2021 9:25 pmThey offered me a $250k signing bonus (one year claw) and then $200k year-end bonus at the end of next month.
Can you tell us your practice group?Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Nov 17, 2021 9:32 pmClass year/group? WowAnonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Nov 17, 2021 9:25 pmThey offered me a $250k signing bonus (one year claw) and then $200k year-end bonus at the end of next month.
I'm a 3rd year M&A/capital markets associate at...uh a key competitor...and would move right now for this deal.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Nov 17, 2021 9:25 pmThey offered me a $250k signing bonus (one year claw) and then $200k year-end bonus at the end of next month.
yeah so sad that people are getting paid a lot of money by a firm that has the largest volume of deals by far. so sad. i think amazon does something similar too, terrible!Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Nov 17, 2021 10:08 pmThese K&E signing bonuses are both fascinating and sad that K&E has to resort to paying them at this level to attract talent.
It's not "has to resort". They've made this their business model. Instead of the old cravath system of "train them in and retain the better ones" they just poach everyone else's trained good people. It's brilliant in a sort of evil way.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Nov 17, 2021 10:08 pmThese K&E signing bonuses are both fascinating and sad that K&E has to resort to paying them at this level to attract talent.
Not a lateral but I received a Kirkland bonus subject to clawback and it was structured with monthly vesting, i.e., for each month I was at the firm, 1/12th of it vested. If I left the firm after five months (or 5 months and 29 days), I owed 7/12ths of it back.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Tue Nov 16, 2021 11:38 pmTip-Negotiate clawback so if you leave before lockup expires you only pay back the % of time you didn’t stay. Couldn’t imagine agreeing to 2 years with a cliff
I’m not sure about this, but the associate referral bonuses are up to 50k now. I bet that you could find a law school classmate at the firm to refer you and at a minimum split that.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Nov 17, 2021 11:17 pmI am really very curious what a litigator could pull as a lateral hire at Kirkland. Even an experienced one would probably get less than a transactional associate, but I wonder if it's even remotely close..
Damn. I can’t believe the firm still manages to have insanely high PPP numbers, even after throwing around reckless money like this.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Thu Nov 18, 2021 10:18 amA senior associate friend received a $400k signing bonus in a newly opened K&E office. They started at $200k and he negotiated to $400k without a problem.
If by "poach everyone else's trained good people" you mean middling DLA Piper senior associates who have not yet marked up a full purchase agreement, then I guess you're right.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Thu Nov 18, 2021 1:46 amIt's not "has to resort". They've made this their business model. Instead of the old cravath system of "train them in and retain the better ones" they just poach everyone else's trained good people. It's brilliant in a sort of evil way.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Nov 17, 2021 10:08 pmThese K&E signing bonuses are both fascinating and sad that K&E has to resort to paying them at this level to attract talent.
My V50 is offering associate referral bonus of 30k. I think we're cheap on signing bonus tho.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Thu Nov 18, 2021 8:42 amI’m not sure about this, but the associate referral bonuses are up to 50k now. I bet that you could find a law school classmate at the firm to refer you and at a minimum split that.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Nov 17, 2021 11:17 pmI am really very curious what a litigator could pull as a lateral hire at Kirkland. Even an experienced one would probably get less than a transactional associate, but I wonder if it's even remotely close..
Not being advertised as such but on a case by case basis it is being considered. Think the odds get better the more senior that you are.
It's really not reckless. A senior associate is billing at least $1k an hour, so we're talking about 2 months worth of work.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Thu Nov 18, 2021 10:54 amDamn. I can’t believe the firm still manages to have insanely high PPP numbers, even after throwing around reckless money like this.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Thu Nov 18, 2021 10:18 amA senior associate friend received a $400k signing bonus in a newly opened K&E office. They started at $200k and he negotiated to $400k without a problem.
Let's also be clear, the numbers in this thread are not at all the norm for lateral hires. I know of a senior associate who moved over as an NSP in corporate for $100k. And in litigation and BK, as discussed, these numbers are almost certainly much smaller (though they're also seriously hurting for people).VentureMBA wrote: ↑Thu Nov 18, 2021 3:05 pmIt's really not reckless. A senior associate is billing at least $1k an hour, so we're talking about 2 months worth of work.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Thu Nov 18, 2021 10:54 amDamn. I can’t believe the firm still manages to have insanely high PPP numbers, even after throwing around reckless money like this.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Thu Nov 18, 2021 10:18 amA senior associate friend received a $400k signing bonus in a newly opened K&E office. They started at $200k and he negotiated to $400k without a problem.