When it comes to law firm compensation, all it takes is one firm to start a movement. From salary increases to year-end bonuses, firms large and small tend to follow the leader in an effort to remain at the top of the market when it comes to attorney remuneration. Now, it looks like this summer may be gearing up to be a hot bonus season.
Texas-based Vartabedian Hester & Haynes started the trend, and New York-based midsize firm Otterbourg is here to one-up the commercial litigation boutique’s $5,000 bonus offerings. Today, Otterbourg announced that all of its full-time associates will receive a handsome mid-year bonus of $15,000 in recognition of their “outstanding performance” and “unwavering dedication.” Could this be the start of a bonus war?
Otterbourg’s chairman, Richard L. Stehl, had this to say about the firm’s generous bonus:
“We are incredibly proud of the hard work and excellence our associates have demonstrated this year. This bonus reflects our deep appreciation for their contributions and our confidence in the continued strength of the firm. We have also recently welcomed new attorneys to the firm to service the firm’s growing client base and business. We are confident in a solid finish to 2025, driven by the exceptional work of our attorneys and the steadfast support of our clients.”
Otterbourg is a firm that’s known for spreading the wealth among its associates. For example, when firms were first returning to the office in the wake of the pandemic, Otterbourg offered up a $25,000 bonus to its attorneys as a welcome back gift. The firm enjoys celebrating its associates’ achievements and is eager to continue to invest in their talent.
Congratulations to everyone at the Otterbourg!
When will your firm make its own bonus announcement? Stay tuned.
Remember everyone, we depend on your tips to stay on top of compensation updates, so when your firm announces or matches, please text us (646-820-8477) or email us (subject line: “[Firm Name] Bonus/Matches”). 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.
And if you’d like to sign up for ATL’s Bonus Alerts (which is the alert list we also use for salary announcements), please scroll down and enter your email address in the box below this post. 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 bonus announcement that we publish. Thanks for your help!
Staci Zaretsky is the managing editor of 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.
The post Law Firm One-Ups The Competition With Even Bigger Summer Bonuses appeared first on Above the Law.
When it comes to law firm compensation, all it takes is one firm to start a movement. From salary increases to year-end bonuses, firms large and small tend to follow the leader in an effort to remain at the top of the market when it comes to attorney remuneration. Now, it looks like this summer may be gearing up to be a hot bonus season.
Texas-based Vartabedian Hester & Haynes started the trend, and New York-based midsize firm Otterbourg is here to one-up the commercial litigation boutique’s $5,000 bonus offerings. Today, Otterbourg announced that all of its full-time associates will receive a handsome mid-year bonus of $15,000 in recognition of their “outstanding performance” and “unwavering dedication.” Could this be the start of a bonus war?
Otterbourg’s chairman, Richard L. Stehl, had this to say about the firm’s generous bonus:
“We are incredibly proud of the hard work and excellence our associates have demonstrated this year. This bonus reflects our deep appreciation for their contributions and our confidence in the continued strength of the firm. We have also recently welcomed new attorneys to the firm to service the firm’s growing client base and business. We are confident in a solid finish to 2025, driven by the exceptional work of our attorneys and the steadfast support of our clients.”
Otterbourg is a firm that’s known for spreading the wealth among its associates. For example, when firms were first returning to the office in the wake of the pandemic, Otterbourg offered up a $25,000 bonus to its attorneys as a welcome back gift. The firm enjoys celebrating its associates’ achievements and is eager to continue to invest in their talent.
Congratulations to everyone at the Otterbourg!
When will your firm make its own bonus announcement? Stay tuned.
Remember everyone, we depend on your tips to stay on top of compensation updates, so when your firm announces or matches, please text us (646-820-8477) or email us (subject line: “[Firm Name] Bonus/Matches”). 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.
And if you’d like to sign up for ATL’s Bonus Alerts (which is the alert list we also use for salary announcements), please scroll down and enter your email address in the box below this post. 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 bonus announcement that we publish. Thanks for your help!
Staci Zaretsky is the managing editor of 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.
The post Law Firm One-Ups The Competition With Even Bigger Summer Bonuses appeared first on Above the Law.
