Market bonus rate for clerkships Forum

[Anonymous User]

Does your firm give different bonus amounts for district v. circuit court clerkships? More generally, what is "market" for clerkship bonuses?

[bk1]

Market seems to be 50k for either.

[Anonymous User]

It's usually 50K for one year, 70K for two years.

[Citizen Genet]

Market rate at 50k is a myth if you think that a firm paying market rate in salary (160) is going to pay a 50k bonus.

Here is what I posted in another thread about it:

(The $50k bonus) is mainly for the five biggest markets (NYC/DC/Chicago/LA/SV). Even then, not all go for the full $50k. I think some people go in expecting that any Vault 100 or AmLaw 200 firm will give out a $50k bonus regardless of office. That's just not the case. The largest firms in those top five cities will, but outside of that, it varies significantly. If you're in a large secondary market (Boston, Dallas, Miami, Orange County, Atlanta) you will see a wide range going from no bonus to the full $50k. (I should note that I don't know that there's a $50k paying firm in each of those markets, but I do know there are in some of them - I assume it's the same for the others. And really, it's just to highlight the point that the bonus varies significantly.)

Usually clerkship bonuses apply regardless of District or COA. Bonuses for bankruptcy, state supreme court, and magistrate all occur much less often.

Some firms will only pay for one year. Some pay a smaller bonus for a second year of clerking. Really, it depends.

Key is, don't plan on $50k unless you're going to a market leader in a big market. Outside of that, you'll have to do some groundwork to find out or negotiating after an offer.

[lolwat]

Citizen Genet is correct.

I do think you can start with the premise that if you go to a higher ranked Vault firm--probably V20 at least, and maybe down to V50 or so--in one of the five markets noted, you should see $50k more often than not (and for two years, $70k). There IS a reason those numbers get thrown around most commonly.

But outside of that, the bonus does vary significantly. It can go from $0 to $50k, and at least one smaller firm in DC gives $60k. Additionally, some firms offer the same bonus $ no matter what, other firms offer different bonus $ depending on whether you went to COA/D.Ct./SSC/other courts.

[r6_philly]

Art III bonus at many NY/DC firms are 50k, but I have seen 30k. Secondary market firms in Philly I know of pay $10-15k. It is most definitely not 50k across the market.

[Anonymous User]

V10 NY/DC with an offer for post-AIII dist. clerkship, can confirm it was $50k.

[Anonymous User]

Most firms that pay market for salary (for at least the first three years) pay market clerkship bonuses. So, yea, there are plenty of firms that don't pay the 50k/70k clerkship bonuses, but those are almost entirely also firms that don't actually pay market salary (e.g., they pay 160k for the first year, but fall off of market after that).

[hoos89]

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[Anonymous User]

This thread is about clerkship bonuses, which firms will pay once when you finish clerking and start at the firm. End-of-the-year bonuses are typically every year. Of course, both depend on the practices of the firm.

[Anonymous User]

How long do you have to stay at a firm to get to keep the clerkship bonus? A year?

[Anonymous User]

My 1st half summer firm paid 35 for district, 50 for circuit, and like 260 for scotus.

[Anonymous User]

If you're in a large secondary market (Boston, Dallas, Miami, Orange County, Atlanta) you will see a wide range going from no bonus to the full $50k.

I'm in a secondary market a bit smaller than these -- think like Seattle or Phoenix or Minneapolis. I'm working with the satellite office (roughly 25 attorneys, maybe a little bigger) of a firm that's right at the AmLaw 100 cut-off. They're paying a $10k bonus, with half when I walk in the door, and half at the end of the year (but I'm not eligible for a pro-rated year-end productivity bonus until the following year). [ETA: Forgot to say, I'm clerking for a USDC judge in a big market.]

[Anonymous User]

How long do you have to stay at a firm to get to keep the clerkship bonus? A year?

curious about this...

[Anonymous User]

I did fed dist. ct -> secondary city office of v20-30ish firm, got a 5k clerkship bonus, stayed for a year, then -> fed. coa. Looks like I'm probably going back to the same v20-30ish firm, but now in LA/NY/SF/DC. Think I can get the 50k bonus that the firm's big offices usually give out? I'm at super early stages so it hasn't come up yet.

[Anonymous User]

Latham appears to be 50k regardless of market. I'm in a secondary and my offer letter specified 50k for federal clerkships, any SSC, and Delaware Chancery Courts.

[HowdeeTee]

Wilmer is 50K, regardless of office

[Anonymous User]

any of you know what happens if you leave after just one year? do they ask for a prorated amount back? whole thing?

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone have experience with Texas firms?