#law-firm-compensation

#law-firm-compensation

But we know that many readers work in small and midsize firms that may not play the Biglaw bonus matching game. That's where our law firm compensation survey comes in. Every year, we collect compensation information from solo practitioners and small firm lawyers for our annual compensation report, and this year we also want to hear from attorneys at midsize law firms.

Another day, another elite law boutique that's offering bonuses to their associates that blow the prevailing market bonuses at Biglaw firms out of the water. Litigation powerhouse Kellogg Hansen recently announced special bonuses, and of course they're way above market. It isn't much of a surprise; the firm's base compensation ranges have been on top of the Biglaw scale for years, and their year-end bonuses are huge too. This just lines Kellogg associates' pockets with even more money.

Break out the stretchy pants and gratitude journals, because McKool Smith, the Texas-based complex trial firm that's been handing out money to associates hand over fist for years, just dropped a little holiday surprise on its associates: special Thanksgiving bonuses, ranging from $2,500 to $10,000 depending on seniority. Yes, in addition to year-end bonuses. It's not quite Milbank's summer "please love us, please stay, please bill" bonus extravaganza, but McKool's offering is nothing to sneeze at.