Post-Clerkship Comp Thread (2nd Yr Bonus, Class Credit, etc) Forum

[Anonymous User]

Any meaningful updates or changes here?

Is Kirkland still stiffing BK clerks on class year?

I would be very interested in how Gibson Dunn, Paul Weiss, and Sullivan and Cromwell too.

[Anonymous User]

Any meaningful updates or changes here?

Is Kirkland still stiffing BK clerks on class year?

I would be very interested in how Gibson Dunn, Paul Weiss, and Sullivan and Cromwell too.

One useful data point:

I know that Milbank has given two years of class credit, and I believe the double clerkship bonus for back to back BK clerkships. That may be negotiated and non-standard, I don't know, but definitely worth noting considering most firms only give that if at least one is a COA.

That stands in stark contrast to not getting any class credit at Kirkland, assuming that's still true (I heard that it was, at least as of 2020 BK clerk hires).

[Anonymous User]

Anyone know Cleary Gottlieb practices (double clerkship bonuses, class credit, etc.)?

[Anonymous User]

Is Cleary hiring clerks this cycle? I heard that they told their former associates - who were out clerking in 2020 - that they didn't have return offers and/or returning was not guaranteed.

[Anonymous User]

I have a question about year-end bonuses and clerking.

I am a 2021 grad, starting a V25 in the fall, and then leaving to clerk at a D. Ct. in fall 2022. I understand that I will be classed as a second year when I return in the fall of 2023. I had always assumed that, upon starting at a firm after my clerkship, my year-end bonus (say $25K on the Cravath scale) would be pro-rated. But I was told recently that this isn't the case at many firms, and that I would be eligible for the full bonus based on my class year. Anyone able to speak from experience?

[Anonymous User]

I have a question about year-end bonuses and clerking.

I am a 2021 grad, starting a V25 in the fall, and then leaving to clerk at a D. Ct. in fall 2022. I understand that I will be classed as a second year when I return in the fall of 2023. I had always assumed that, upon starting at a firm after my clerkship, my year-end bonus (say $25K on the Cravath scale) would be pro-rated. But I was told recently that this isn't the case at many firms, and that I would be eligible for the full bonus based on my class year. Anyone able to speak from experience?

This will depend on the firm. I received a full year-end bonus after lateralling, but will be receiving a pro-rated year-end bonus this fall after my clerkship. Both are V10 FWIW. I probably could have negotiated a full-year-end bonus following my clerkship but didn't bother.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone have any updates? Curious about double clerks generally. Looking for info about Boston in particular.

[clerky123]

How do firm offers/bar stipends work for those who are doing a clerkship right after law school, but plan to start at the firm after?

[Anonymous User]

How do firm offers/bar stipends work for those who are doing a clerkship right after law school, but plan to start at the firm after?

You get reimbursed when you start at the firm. Law clerks are eligible for the various public interest programs the bar prep companies do, which helps to cover the cost.

[anonymous117]

How do firm offers/bar stipends work for those who are doing a clerkship right after law school, but plan to start at the firm after?

Probably best to ask the firm directly, but I have friends who clerked directly after grad and had to use “public interest gifted courses” from Kaplan/Themis

[Anonymous User]

Thinking it's time for a new thread with current information. I'm not really up to the task, but fully support it. I'm about to start my second clerkship (dct to coa) and really curious what the latest intel is on bonuses and class year credit (especially for those who clerked twice). I did a year of biglaw before clerking, and I'm a little worried that firms won't want to bring me in as a soon-to-be 4th year when I start fall 2023.

[Anonymous User]

Thinking it's time for a new thread with current information. I'm not really up to the task, but fully support it. I'm about to start my second clerkship (dct to coa) and really curious what the latest intel is on bonuses and class year credit (especially for those who clerked twice). I did a year of biglaw before clerking, and I'm a little worried that firms won't want to bring me in as a soon-to-be 4th year when I start fall 2023.

I’m with you. I am also dct (2 years) to COA (1 year) but I’ll be done in 2024. I’d like to know comp, as well as how many years of credit firms would be willing to give me, since 3 years is less desirable.

[JorgeMichael]

Thinking it's time for a new thread with current information. I'm not really up to the task, but fully support it. I'm about to start my second clerkship (dct to coa) and really curious what the latest intel is on bonuses and class year credit (especially for those who clerked twice). I did a year of biglaw before clerking, and I'm a little worried that firms won't want to bring me in as a soon-to-be 4th year when I start fall 2023.

Quinn Emanuel offers $105K for one clerkship and $125K for two clerkships. SOURCE: https://www.quinnemanuel.com/careers/us ... -benefits/

Susman Godfrey offers $125K for one clerkship and $150K for two clerkships. SOURCE: https://abovethelaw.com/2022/04/elite-l ... p-bonuses/

Hueston Hennigan offers $125K for one clerkship, Robins Kaplan offers $100K, Fish & Richardson offers $115K, Boies Schiller offers $110K, Munger Tolls offers $80K. SOURCE: https://abovethelaw.com/2022/03/elite-f ... hip-bonus/

So it seems like the range for one clerkship is $105K - $125K, although not really sure what biglaw firms (Kirkland, Skadden, Latham, etc.) are offering nowadays.

[Chokenhauer]

Thinking it's time for a new thread with current information. I'm not really up to the task, but fully support it. I'm about to start my second clerkship (dct to coa) and really curious what the latest intel is on bonuses and class year credit (especially for those who clerked twice). I did a year of biglaw before clerking, and I'm a little worried that firms won't want to bring me in as a soon-to-be 4th year when I start fall 2023.

Quinn Emanuel offers $105K for one clerkship and $125K for two clerkships. SOURCE: https://www.quinnemanuel.com/careers/us ... -benefits/

Susman Godfrey offers $125K for one clerkship and $150K for two clerkships. SOURCE: https://abovethelaw.com/2022/04/elite-l ... p-bonuses/

Hueston Hennigan offers $125K for one clerkship, Robins Kaplan offers $100K, Fish & Richardson offers $115K, Boies Schiller offers $110K, Munger Tolls offers $80K. SOURCE: https://abovethelaw.com/2022/03/elite-f ... hip-bonus/

So it seems like the range for one clerkship is $105K - $125K, although not really sure what biglaw firms (Kirkland, Skadden, Latham, etc.) are offering nowadays.

Has it changed for biglaw outside the $50k/sometimes $70-75k bonus that it was a few years ago?

[Anonymous User]

Thinking it's time for a new thread with current information. I'm not really up to the task, but fully support it. I'm about to start my second clerkship (dct to coa) and really curious what the latest intel is on bonuses and class year credit (especially for those who clerked twice). I did a year of biglaw before clerking, and I'm a little worried that firms won't want to bring me in as a soon-to-be 4th year when I start fall 2023.

Quinn Emanuel offers $105K for one clerkship and $125K for two clerkships. SOURCE: https://www.quinnemanuel.com/careers/us ... -benefits/

Susman Godfrey offers $125K for one clerkship and $150K for two clerkships. SOURCE: https://abovethelaw.com/2022/04/elite-l ... p-bonuses/

Hueston Hennigan offers $125K for one clerkship, Robins Kaplan offers $100K, Fish & Richardson offers $115K, Boies Schiller offers $110K, Munger Tolls offers $80K. SOURCE: https://abovethelaw.com/2022/03/elite-f ... hip-bonus/

So it seems like the range for one clerkship is $105K - $125K, although not really sure what biglaw firms (Kirkland, Skadden, Latham, etc.) are offering nowadays.

Has it changed for biglaw outside the $50k/sometimes $70-75k bonus that it was a few years ago?

Anecdotally, that seems right, but tilting more toward 75 than in the past.

[Anonymous User]

Thinking it's time for a new thread with current information. I'm not really up to the task, but fully support it. I'm about to start my second clerkship (dct to coa) and really curious what the latest intel is on bonuses and class year credit (especially for those who clerked twice). I did a year of biglaw before clerking, and I'm a little worried that firms won't want to bring me in as a soon-to-be 4th year when I start fall 2023.

Quinn Emanuel offers $105K for one clerkship and $125K for two clerkships. SOURCE: https://www.quinnemanuel.com/careers/us ... -benefits/

Susman Godfrey offers $125K for one clerkship and $150K for two clerkships. SOURCE: https://abovethelaw.com/2022/04/elite-l ... p-bonuses/

Hueston Hennigan offers $125K for one clerkship, Robins Kaplan offers $100K, Fish & Richardson offers $115K, Boies Schiller offers $110K, Munger Tolls offers $80K. SOURCE: https://abovethelaw.com/2022/03/elite-f ... hip-bonus/

So it seems like the range for one clerkship is $105K - $125K, although not really sure what biglaw firms (Kirkland, Skadden, Latham, etc.) are offering nowadays.

Has it changed for biglaw outside the $50k/sometimes $70-75k bonus that it was a few years ago?

Anecdotally, that seems right, but tilting more toward 75 than in the past.

Any specific offices doing $75k?

[Anonymous User]

Thinking it's time for a new thread with current information. I'm not really up to the task, but fully support it. I'm about to start my second clerkship (dct to coa) and really curious what the latest intel is on bonuses and class year credit (especially for those who clerked twice). I did a year of biglaw before clerking, and I'm a little worried that firms won't want to bring me in as a soon-to-be 4th year when I start fall 2023.

I’m with you. I am also dct (2 years) to COA (1 year) but I’ll be done in 2024. I’d like to know comp, as well as how many years of credit firms would be willing to give me, since 3 years is less desirable.

Just went through applying as someone with one year big law followed by DCt and COA. All the firms I spoke with (big law, not really the more boutique firms so can’t speak to them) were going to bring me in with my class year, so I didn’t lose any credit.

I have heard of a few (Ropes, White & Case) that make you choose between bigger bonus and one year class credit or smaller bonus and two year credit.

[Anonymous User]

Thinking it's time for a new thread with current information. I'm not really up to the task, but fully support it. I'm about to start my second clerkship (dct to coa) and really curious what the latest intel is on bonuses and class year credit (especially for those who clerked twice). I did a year of biglaw before clerking, and I'm a little worried that firms won't want to bring me in as a soon-to-be 4th year when I start fall 2023.

I’m with you. I am also dct (2 years) to COA (1 year) but I’ll be done in 2024. I’d like to know comp, as well as how many years of credit firms would be willing to give me, since 3 years is less desirable.

Just went through applying as someone with one year big law followed by DCt and COA. All the firms I spoke with (big law, not really the more boutique firms so can’t speak to them) were going to bring me in with my class year, so I didn’t lose any credit.

I have heard of a few (Ropes, White & Case) that make you choose between bigger bonus and one year class credit or smaller bonus and two year credit.

OP here. Thank you. Good to know.

[Anonymous User]

Thinking it's time for a new thread with current information. I'm not really up to the task, but fully support it. I'm about to start my second clerkship (dct to coa) and really curious what the latest intel is on bonuses and class year credit (especially for those who clerked twice). I did a year of biglaw before clerking, and I'm a little worried that firms won't want to bring me in as a soon-to-be 4th year when I start fall 2023.

I’m with you. I am also dct (2 years) to COA (1 year) but I’ll be done in 2024. I’d like to know comp, as well as how many years of credit firms would be willing to give me, since 3 years is less desirable.

Just went through applying as someone with one year big law followed by DCt and COA. All the firms I spoke with (big law, not really the more boutique firms so can’t speak to them) were going to bring me in with my class year, so I didn’t lose any credit.

I have heard of a few (Ropes, White & Case) that make you choose between bigger bonus and one year class credit or smaller bonus and two year credit.

Probably dumb question, but when presented with those two options what is the correct choice there? More money upfront + the greater leeway that comes with being a more junior associate and getting more runway seems like the objectively better choice, but maybe I'm missing something.

[johndonne]

Thinking it's time for a new thread with current information. I'm not really up to the task, but fully support it. I'm about to start my second clerkship (dct to coa) and really curious what the latest intel is on bonuses and class year credit (especially for those who clerked twice). I did a year of biglaw before clerking, and I'm a little worried that firms won't want to bring me in as a soon-to-be 4th year when I start fall 2023.

I’ve heard that most biglaw firms are paying $100k for a CAFC clerkship, and many boutiques are paying $125k for the same—regardless of previous experience.

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone negotiated a higher clerkship bonus? This is in a smaller market, and I wonder if it might be possible to negotiate for a market bonus versus the firm’s norm in small markets, which is below-market.

[Anonymous User]

Anybody have some recent updates on comp after coming off a two year district court (or CoA) clerkship? I know some firms explicitly say that they will comp both years. Any that don't based off of recent information?

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone negotiated a higher clerkship bonus? This is in a smaller market, and I wonder if it might be possible to negotiate for a market bonus versus the firm’s norm in small markets, which is below-market.

How much is the firm’s norm? Some markets (like the one I’m trying to leave) offer a minuscule bonus that isn’t even close to market. I’d imagine it’s hard to negotiate upwards to $75k if you’re only getting $15k on a good day.

[Chokenhauer]

Thinking it's time for a new thread with current information. I'm not really up to the task, but fully support it. I'm about to start my second clerkship (dct to coa) and really curious what the latest intel is on bonuses and class year credit (especially for those who clerked twice). I did a year of biglaw before clerking, and I'm a little worried that firms won't want to bring me in as a soon-to-be 4th year when I start fall 2023.

I’ve heard that most biglaw firms are paying $100k for a CAFC clerkship, and many boutiques are paying $125k for the same—regardless of previous experience.

CAFC = Federal Circuit, I’m guessing? I’m stupid with the acronyms

[johndonne]

Thinking it's time for a new thread with current information. I'm not really up to the task, but fully support it. I'm about to start my second clerkship (dct to coa) and really curious what the latest intel is on bonuses and class year credit (especially for those who clerked twice). I did a year of biglaw before clerking, and I'm a little worried that firms won't want to bring me in as a soon-to-be 4th year when I start fall 2023.

I’ve heard that most biglaw firms are paying $100k for a CAFC clerkship, and many boutiques are paying $125k for the same—regardless of previous experience.

CAFC = Federal Circuit, I’m guessing? I’m stupid with the acronyms

Yes.