Kirkland non-equity partner salary and trajectory Forum

[Anonymous User]

Kirkland is expanding into my city and is hiring like crazy. Currently a mid-level. I’ve heard Kirkland promotes to non-equity partner at year 7 or something. Just curious how high the salary is for a non-equity partner. Also, what happens to them usually? The firm seems to have a very high associate/partner ratio even though they promote a ton of people to non-equity partnership ever year.

[BKing]

https://www.law.com/americanlawyer/2017 ... -partners/

[minnbills]

+1 to the above article. Basically, they give you a few years to lateral somewhere else to be an equity partner.

Kirkland income partners, especially in certain practice areas like bankruptcy, have a pretty good shot at making the switch.

[Anonymous User]

The base salary is a little bit higher than what a corresponding associate would make, but NSPs still have to pay for their own insurance and stuff, so I think they might make a little less than associates of the same year. Most NSPs do not make equity partner, but there's not a lot of pressure to push those people out, if they want to stay.

The trajectory is to use the partner title to drum up business and after 3 or so years, lateral with a book to a new firm as an equity partner. Some NSPs use the partner position to achieve more senior in-house positions than they otherwise might get.

[charliekelly33]

Also heard that headline salary is above market but take home can be below market depending on how insurance and other benefits shake out since you pay for them yourselves. Anecdotally I've heard that you if you are seen as having a good shot at equity partner your bonuses are pretty huge.

[Anonymous User]

The base salary is a little bit higher than what a corresponding associate would make, but NSPs still have to pay for their own insurance and stuff, so I think they might make a little less than associates of the same year. Most NSPs do not make equity partner, but there's not a lot of pressure to push those people out, if they want to stay.

The trajectory is to use the partner title to drum up business and after 3 or so years, lateral with a book to a new firm as an equity partner. Some NSPs use the partner position to achieve more senior in-house positions than they otherwise might get.

In talking with associates at Kirkland, seems like you are not up for equity partner until year 10 (9, but very few make it that year). Does anyone have any idea what kind of salary/bonus structure 9th year NSPs are getting since its past the biglaw pay scale? Or would it just be the same as top of the NY scale?