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The post Associate Compensation Scorecard: Biglaw’s 2024 Bonus Boom appeared first on Above the Law.
Since we broke the news of the market bonus scale for associates at large law firms in the United States — a trend that was started by Milbank on Monday, November 11, 2024, and finally followed by Cravath on Tuesday, November 19, 2024, including Milbank’s special summer bonuses — firms are falling in line to match the scale. When will your firm announce its bonuses?
Today, for your viewing pleasure, we unveil a table of all of the firms that have already matched the bonus scale, the date those matches were made, the minimum hours required to receive bonuses (if available), and the date bonuses will be paid. We will be updating this table on a daily basis, sometimes multiple times, as news on bonuses unfolds. If you see any information here that is incorrect or needs clarification, let us know.
We are covering this trend extensively, so please drop us a line — text (646-820-8477) or email (subject line: “[Firm Name] Matches”) — when you know of a firm making a compensation move. Please include the memo if available. You can take a photo of the memo and send it via text or email if you don’t want to forward the original PDF or Word file. Sources are kept confidential.
Don’t forget, if you’d like to sign up for ATL’s Bonus Alerts, please enter your email address in the box below. If you previously signed up for the bonus alerts, you don’t need to do anything. You’ll receive an email notification within minutes of each compensation announcement that we publish. Cheers to a happy bonus and raise season, everyone!
| Firm | Date Matched | Minimum Hours | Payout Date |
| MilbankClass of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated)Class of 2016: $115K / $25K | FIRST MOVERNovember 11, 2024 | None | On or before December 31, 2024 |
| Vartabedian Hester & HaynesClass of 2024: $15K / $6KClass of 2016: $115K / $25K | November 13, 2024 | 1800 hours | On or before December 31, 2024 |
| CravathClass of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated)Class of 2017: $115K / $25K | November 19, 2024 | None | December 13, 2024 |
| Paul HastingsClass of 2023: $20K / $6KClass of 2017+: $115K / $25K | November 20, 2024 | 2000 hours | February 14, 2025 |
| Ropes & GrayClass of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated)Class of 2016+: $130K / $25K | November 20, 2024 | 1900 creditable hours (increased bonuses for associates who annualized above hourly target) | December 24, 2024 |
| McDermott Will & EmeryClass of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated)Class of 2017+: $115K / $25K | November 20, 2024 | 2000 hours (merit bonuses available for eligible associates; “two-thirds” of associates will see bonuses above market) | December 27, 2024 |
| ClearyClass of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated)Class of 2017+: $115K / $25K | November 21, 2024 | None | December 20, 2024 |
| Paul WeissClass of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated)Class of 2017+: $115K / $25K | November 21, 2024 | None | December 20, 2024 |
| DechertClass of 2023: $20K / $6KClass of 2017+: $115K / $25K | November 21, 2024 | 1950 hours (client billable, pro bono, firm as client, maximum of 50 community hours); associates who exceeded hours expectations eligible to receive an “extraordinary” bonus (i.e., 2200 hours = addt’l 30%; 2400+ hours = addt’l 40%) | By or before end of January 2025 |
| O’MelvenyClass of 2024: $6K (prorated)Class of 2017+: $115K / $25K | November 21, 2024 | None | Undisclosed |
| Holwell ShusterClass of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated)Class of 2017+: $115K / $25K | November 21, 2024 | None | On or before December 31, 2024 |
| Davis PolkClass of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated)Class of 2017+: $115K / $25K | November 22, 2024 | None | December 27, 2024 |
| Weil GotshalClass of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated)Class of 2017+: $115K / $25K | November 22, 2024 | None | January 31, 2025 |
| White & CaseClass of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated)Class of 2017: $115K / $25K | November 22, 2024 | Eligibility criteria detailed in separate memo | February 14, 2025 |
| SkaddenClass of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated)Class of 2017+: $115K or $125K / $25K | November 22, 2024 | 1800 “productive hours” (including unlimited pro bono time and up to 150 hours of productive non-billable work) | December 13, 2024 |
| CadwaladerClass of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated)Class of 2016: $115K / $25K | November 22, 2024 | Additional bonuses “equal to 120% of [market bonuses]” for high billers with 2200 hours or more | By or before end of February 2025 |
| ProskauerClass of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated)Class of 2016: $115K / $25K | November 22, 2024 | None | On or before December 24, 2024 |
| Schulte Roth & ZabelClass of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated)Class of 2017+: $115K / $25K | November 22, 2024 | 2000 hours; step-up bonuses from $3K to $51.75K for associates who have made “extraordinary contributions” to the firm) | January 27, 2025 |
| CovingtonClass of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated)Class of 2017+: $115K / $25K | November 22, 2024 | 2000 hours; (associates will see a 10% bonus increase at 2200 hours, and another 10% bonus increase 2400 hours) | January 2025 |
| Willkie FarrClass of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated)Class of 2017+: $115K / $25K | November 22, 2024 | None | December 31, 2024 |
| AkinClass of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated)Class of 2017+: $115K / $25K | November 22, 2024 | 1950 hours (including pro bono hours, general counsel hours, business development hours, and up to 100 hours of time spent on recruiting, diversity & inclusion, and/or innovation activities); associates with “exceptional” performance will receive larger bonuses | February 2025 |
| SidleyClass of 2023: $20K / $6KClass of 2016: $115K / $25K | November 25, 2024 | 2000 hours required for base bonuses; associates with “higher productivity and/or exceptional performance” will receive additional bonuses, up to “more than 50% above base bonus” | Prior to December 31, 2024 |
| Baker BottsClass of 2023: $20K / $6KClass of 2017+: $115K / $25K | November 25, 2024 | Based on hours (“enhanced” bonuses available for “exceptional” performance) | Undisclosed |
| A&O ShearmanClass of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated)Class of 2017+: $115K / $25K | November 25, 2024 | Undisclosed | Undisclosed |
| Katten MuchinClass of 2023: $20K / $6KClass of 2017+: $115K / $25K | November 25, 2024 | 2000 hours (2100 hours for $22K-$126.5K; 2200 hours for $24K-$138K; 2300 hours for $26.5K-$149.5K; 2400 hours for $31K-$172.5K); additional “superstar” bonuses available | February 3, 2025 |
| Vinson & ElkinsClass of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated)Class of 2017+: $115K / $25K | November 25, 2024 | Based on hours and good standing; “supplemental bonuses” available for associates who had an “exemplary year” | On or about January 31, 2025 |
| DebevoiseClass of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated)Class of 2017+: $115K / $25K | November 26, 2024 | None | Undisclosed |
| Clifford ChanceClass of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated)Class of 2017+: $115K / $25K | November 26, 2024 | None (based on overall performance, quality of work, contributions to firm, teamwork, and pro bono) | January 15, 2025 |
| Mayer BrownClass of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated)Class of 2017+: $115K / $25K | November 26, 2024 | 2000 hours; associates eligible for addt’l bonuses based on performance | February 28, 2025 |
| Gibson DunnClass of 2024: $15K / $6K (prorated)Class of 2017: $115K / $25K | November 27, 2024 | Undisclosed | Undisclosed |
| Seward & KisselClass of 2023: $20K / $6KClass of 2017+: $115K / $25K | November 27, 2024 | 2000 hours (1850 billable hours and 150 qualified non-billable hours); 2200 hours for special bonus (1850 billable hours and 150 qualified non-billable hours; associates who “substantially” exceed the eligibility requirements for special bonuses may receive an “increased” special bonus) | First quarter of 2025 |
| Fish & RichardsonEntry-Level: $15K / $6K (prorated)A7: $115K / $25K | November 27, 2024 | 2100 hours (including up to 200 pro bono/DEI/pitch hours) or strongest reviews based on quality of work | December 26, 2024 |
| Wilkinson StekloffClass of 2024: $22.5K / $6KClass of 2017: $172.5K / $25K | December 3, 2024 | None | By December 13, 2024 |
Staci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Bluesky, X/Twitter, and Threads or connect with her on LinkedIn.
