Pay for Chambers-ranked plaintiff securities class-action firms Forum

[Anonymous User]

Anyone know what these firms (the ones that do plaintiff securities litigation in particular) pay mid-levels and seniors for base? Bonuses in a good year, bad year, typical year?

I was told from a recruiter that base would be around $250-$300k and that bonuses could be $500k+ in a "good year". The base salary seems about typical for these - aside from the most prestigious - based on searching TLS. But the $500k+ bonus for simply a "good year" and not a truly exceptional year seems too good to be true...

(Posting anon because the information and numbers provided could out me).

[Anonymous User]

With the caveat that the below is only from hearsay from talking to people from these firms when considering them as a post-clerkship option.

My understanding is anywhere approaching a 500K bonus for a mid or senior associate is reserved for years where all of the following are true: (1) the firm had an extraordinary year with a gigantic win or multiple big wins, (2) the associate getting the bonus was integrally involved on those wins, (3) the associate is on their way to making partner, is working super hard and is recognized by the firm as brilliant.

[The Lsat Airbender]

I was told from a recruiter that base would be around $250-$300k and that bonuses could be $500k+ in a "good year". The base salary seems about typical for these - aside from the most prestigious - based on searching TLS. But the $500k+ bonus for simply a "good year" and not a truly exceptional year seems too good to be true...

bolded is how you know you're not taking the appropriate grain of salt. When someone is pitching a role and says something might happen "in a good year" they likely mean "the absolute high end of what is possible"

[Geddylee]

Anyone know what these firms (the ones that do plaintiff securities litigation in particular) pay mid-levels and seniors for base? Bonuses in a good year, bad year, typical year?

I was told from a recruiter that base would be around $250-$300k and that bonuses could be $500k+ in a "good year". The base salary seems about typical for these - aside from the most prestigious - based on searching TLS. But the $500k+ bonus for simply a "good year" and not a truly exceptional year seems too good to be true...

(Posting anon because the information and numbers provided could out me).

Practically speaking, why bother. Securities class actions is a field where a guy loses $1000 and is paid $3.
Most of the disgruntled Plaintiffs get a check in the mail for 75 cents and don't cash it.
Lerach was a pioneer in this field back in the 1990s.
He would shake down Silicon Valley CEOs and threaten them with losing their homes if they didn't settle.
Lerach ended up in prison and the field has been a laughing stock ever since.

[jdkale]

I might bother for the $102 million stock lending settlement that QE and Cohen Milstein did (reported an hour ago). Then again, maybe not. I wouldn't want to be a laughing stock.