{"id":138170,"date":"2025-12-04T14:40:28","date_gmt":"2025-12-04T22:40:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/2025\/12\/04\/biglaw-bonus-train-keeps-chugging-along-as-top-50-firm-gets-on-board-to-drop-cash-for-associates\/"},"modified":"2025-12-04T14:40:28","modified_gmt":"2025-12-04T22:40:28","slug":"biglaw-bonus-train-keeps-chugging-along-as-top-50-firm-gets-on-board-to-drop-cash-for-associates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/2025\/12\/04\/biglaw-bonus-train-keeps-chugging-along-as-top-50-firm-gets-on-board-to-drop-cash-for-associates\/","title":{"rendered":"Biglaw Bonus Train Keeps Chugging Along As Top 50 Firm Gets On Board To Drop Cash For Associates"},"content":{"rendered":"

Compensation news continues to spread across the Biglaw landscape, and associates couldn\u2019t be happier. From Am Law 200 firms to boutique firms, there will be more money in associates\u2019 pockets this holiday season, and the excitement is palpable. <\/p>\n

We\u2019ve now confirmed that Orrick \u2014 a firm that brought in $1,593,353,000 gross revenue in 2024, putting it at No. 35 in the most recent Am Law 100 \u2014 has chosen to use the Cravath<\/a> scale for its year-end bonuses, complete with the special bonuses being offered by Milbank<\/a>. That said, here\u2019s what the bonus and salary scales look like at the firm:<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Role<\/strong><\/td>\n\u00a0<\/strong>Year<\/strong><\/td>\n\u00a02026 Salary Scale<\/strong><\/td>\n2025 Bonus<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Merit Bonus<\/strong><\/td>\nSpecial Bonus<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Senior Associate<\/strong><\/td>\nYear 2+<\/strong><\/td>\n$435,000<\/td>\n$115,000<\/td>\n$25,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Year 1<\/strong><\/td>\n$420,000<\/td>\n$115,000<\/td>\n$25,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Managing Associate<\/strong><\/td>\nYear 3<\/strong><\/td>\n$390,000<\/td>\n$105,000<\/td>\n$25,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Year 2<\/strong><\/td>\n$365,000<\/td>\n$90,000<\/td>\n$25,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Year 1<\/strong><\/td>\n$310,000<\/td>\n$75,000<\/td>\n$20,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Associate<\/strong><\/td>\nYear 3<\/strong><\/td>\n$260,000<\/td>\n$57,500<\/td>\n$15,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Year 2<\/strong><\/td>\n$235,000<\/td>\n$30,000<\/td>\n$10,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Year 1\u00a0**<\/strong><\/td>\n$225,000<\/td>\n$20,000<\/td>\n$6,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n

The firm is also considering overmarket merit bonuses for those who have displayed \u201cexceptional performance\u201d this year.<\/p>\n

\n

Special bonuses will be paid out on December 31, 2025, while merit bonuses will hit bank accounts in mid-February 2026.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Congratulations to everyone at Orrick!<\/p>\n

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\u00a0email us<\/a>\u00a0(subject line: \u201c[Firm Name] Bonus\/Matches\u201d). Please include the memo if available. You can take a photo of the memo and send it via text or email if you don\u2019t want to forward the original PDF or Word file.<\/p>\n

And if you\u2019d like to sign up for ATL\u2019s 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\u2019t need to do anything. You\u2019ll receive an email notification within minutes of each bonus announcement that we publish. Thanks for your help!<\/p>\n

\n
\"\"
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Staci Zaretsky<\/a>\u00a0is the managing editor of Above the Law, where she\u2019s worked since 2011. She\u2019d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email<\/a> her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on\u00a0Bluesky<\/a>,\u00a0X\/Twitter<\/a>, and\u00a0Threads<\/a>,\u00a0or connect with her on\u00a0LinkedIn<\/a><\/em>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The post Biglaw Bonus Train Keeps Chugging Along As Top 50 Firm Gets On Board To Drop Cash For Associates<\/a> appeared first on Above the Law<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n

Compensation news continues to spread across the Biglaw landscape, and associates couldn\u2019t be happier. From Am Law 200 firms to boutique firms, there will be more money in associates\u2019 pockets this holiday season, and the excitement is palpable. <\/p>\n

We\u2019ve now confirmed that Orrick \u2014 a firm that brought in $1,593,353,000 gross revenue in 2024, putting it at No. 35 in the most recent Am Law 100 \u2014 has chosen to use the Cravath<\/a> scale for its year-end bonuses, complete with the special bonuses being offered by Milbank<\/a>. That said, here\u2019s what the bonus and salary scales look like at the firm:<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Role<\/strong><\/td>\nYear<\/strong><\/td>\n\u00a02026 Salary Scale<\/strong><\/td>\n2025 Bonus<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Merit Bonus<\/strong><\/td>\nSpecial Bonus<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Senior Associate<\/strong><\/td>\nYear 2+<\/strong><\/td>\n$435,000<\/td>\n$115,000<\/td>\n$25,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Year 1<\/strong><\/td>\n$420,000<\/td>\n$115,000<\/td>\n$25,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Managing Associate<\/strong><\/td>\nYear 3<\/strong><\/td>\n$390,000<\/td>\n$105,000<\/td>\n$25,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Year 2<\/strong><\/td>\n$365,000<\/td>\n$90,000<\/td>\n$25,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Year 1<\/strong><\/td>\n$310,000<\/td>\n$75,000<\/td>\n$20,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Associate<\/strong><\/td>\nYear 3<\/strong><\/td>\n$260,000<\/td>\n$57,500<\/td>\n$15,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Year 2<\/strong><\/td>\n$235,000<\/td>\n$30,000<\/td>\n$10,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Year 1\u00a0**<\/strong><\/td>\n$225,000<\/td>\n$20,000<\/td>\n$6,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n

The firm is also considering overmarket merit bonuses for those who have displayed \u201cexceptional performance\u201d this year.<\/p>\n

\n

Special bonuses will be paid out on December 31, 2025, while merit bonuses will hit bank accounts in mid-February 2026.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Congratulations to everyone at Orrick!<\/p>\n

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\u00a0email us<\/a>\u00a0(subject line: \u201c[Firm Name] Bonus\/Matches\u201d). Please include the memo if available. You can take a photo of the memo and send it via text or email if you don\u2019t want to forward the original PDF or Word file.<\/p>\n

And if you\u2019d like to sign up for ATL\u2019s 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\u2019t need to do anything. You\u2019ll receive an email notification within minutes of each bonus announcement that we publish. Thanks for your help!<\/p>\n

\n
\"\"
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Staci Zaretsky<\/a>\u00a0is the managing editor of Above the Law, where she\u2019s worked since 2011. She\u2019d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email<\/a> her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on\u00a0Bluesky<\/a>,\u00a0X\/Twitter<\/a>, and\u00a0Threads<\/a>,\u00a0or connect with her on\u00a0LinkedIn<\/a><\/em>.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Compensation news continues to spread across the Biglaw landscape, and associates couldn\u2019t be happier. From Am Law 200 firms to boutique firms, there will be more money in associates\u2019 pockets this holiday season, and the excitement is palpable. We\u2019ve now confirmed that Orrick \u2014 a firm that brought in $1,593,353,000 gross revenue in 2024, putting […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":138131,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-138170","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-above_the_law"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/xira.com\/p\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Staci-Zaretsky-jGNZu4.jpg?fit=150%2C100&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/138170","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=138170"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/138170\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/138131"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=138170"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=138170"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=138170"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}