Lawyer Pay

Economy Better, But More Partner Layoffs to Come, Survey Says

Corrected: Some two-thirds of 133 managing partners or chairmen of large law firms report that they’re feeling better about the economy and they expect it to continue to get better over the next six months. But in a survey by Citi Private Bank Law Watch, many of those law firm…

Jun 24, 2009 10:20 AM CDT

Kaye Scholer to Cut Pay of Low-Billing Junior Associates by 15-20 Percent

Kaye Scholer has lowered the boom on junior associates who hadn’t hit their billable hours targets as of June 1. First- and second-years who weren’t on pace to clock 1,600 hours by the end of the year will have their paychecks cut by 20 percent for the rest of 2009,…

Jun 24, 2009 12:02 AM CDT

‘Select’ Howrey Associates to Earn $100K in New Training Program

In what may be a harbinger of the future for other well-known law firms, Howrey has just announced a new two-year training program that will offer “meaningful training” for “select” first-year associates. They will be taking a substantial pay cut from the top BigLaw starting salary of $160,000 or so…

Jun 23, 2009 1:54 AM CDT

N.Y. to Sue Private Lawyer ‘Employed’ By 6 School Districts for $2M Reimbursement

A state and federal probe of claimed pension abuse by some New York lawyers in private practice has just heated up further. New York’s attorney general, Andrew Cuomo, says the state will sue a Long Island lawyer whose story sparked a statewide investigation for civil fraud, seeking reimbursement from Lawrence…

Jun 23, 2009 1:05 AM CDT

Upping ACLU Internship Pay Ante, UVA Law Student Wins $650K in Poker Event

In between his work on civil liberties memos, a summer intern in the Nevada offices of the American Civil Liberties Union borrowed a few grand from a poker-playing buddy and entered a tournament. The result was a World Series of Poker bracelet and a gambling payday of over $650,000 this…

Jun 19, 2009 10:32 PM CDT

Harvard Changes Financial Aid Work Rule Due to Law Firm Summer Program Cuts

Traditionally, students receiving financial aid from Harvard Law School are expected to help themselves by working 10 weeks over the summer. But due to slashed summer programs at many major law firms this year, a substantial number of Harvard students found out only at the last minute that they wouldn’t…

Jun 17, 2009 9:02 PM CDT

Fewer Law Firms Expected to Pay $250K Hiring Bonuses for High Court Clerks

Last year, U.S. Supreme Court law clerks were in such hot demand that law firms were paying them $250,000 hiring bonuses. This year, things are different. Law firms hard hit by the recession won’t be paying $250,000, although they aren’t revealing the new, lower bonus level, the National Law Journal…

Jun 15, 2009 2:12 PM CDT

Pillsbury Cuts Pay of Least Busy Associates by Up to 20%

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman is cutting pay for its least productive associates by up to 20 percent. Some associates won’t see a reduction in pay, while others will see cuts of 5 percent to 20 percent, with the severity depending on productivity, the Daily Journal (sub. req.) reports. Most of…

Jun 10, 2009 11:29 AM CDT

McDermott Will & Emery to Cut Back Employee Benefits

McDermott Will & Emery has re-evaluated its “above market” benefits plans for attorneys and staff and is reducing employee benefits effective July 1. An internal memo obtained by Above the Law, stated that “everyone will be affected and will pay more at the point of service,” but that the firm…

Jun 9, 2009 10:25 PM CDT

Kilpatrick Stockton Cuts Associate Salaries by 10 Percent

Kilpatrick Stockton is cutting associate salaries by 10 percent in the United States beginning July 1. The cut puts pay for new associates at $130,000 in the firm’s offices in Atlanta and North Carolina, according to the Fulton County Daily Report. The new salary for beginning associates in New York…

Jun 5, 2009 12:20 PM CDT

New Sedgwick Policy Offers Lavish Vacation Time, But Some See a Downside

A new discretionary vacation policy went into effect in the United States offices of Sedgwick Detert Moran & Arnold last month. It potentially offers associates and counsel lavish amounts of vacation time, at least in theory. They can take as much as four consecutive weeks of vacation, according to an…

Jun 4, 2009 8:21 PM CDT

N.Y. Appeals Court Orders Pay Raise for Judges

A New York appeals court has ordered state legislators to give judges a pay increase of about 30 percent to reflect the increased cost of living since their last raise in 1998. The Appellate Division, 1st Department, said the legislature violated separation of powers by linking judicial raises to the…

Jun 3, 2009 6:08 PM CDT

Dorsey & Whitney Cuts Pay for All Associates By 10 Percent

Dorsey & Whitney hasn’t laid off any attorneys. But the law firm did impose a 10 percent across-the-board pay cut on all associates. And bonuses were also reduced by an undisclosed amount, reports the Star Tribune. News of the salary cut follows word yesterday that Dorsey & Whitney, which is…

Jun 3, 2009 5:40 PM CDT

Dorsey & Whitney Cuts 55 Staff Members

In what is apparently the first round of layoffs at Dorsey & Whitney over the dismal economy, the law firm has let 55 staff members go. Seven offices are affected, an unidentified law firm spokesperson told Above the Law. The Minneapolis office is hardest-hit, according to the spokesperson. Earlier related…

Jun 2, 2009 6:25 PM CDT

Eight Mayer Brown Associates Take $100K-Plus Pay Cut to Work In-house

Mayer Brown has reduced the pay of eight associates by at least $100,000 and sent them to work for a year in the offices of law firm clients. The associates—whose prior pay ranged from $160,000 to $200,000—are being paid $60,000 plus benefits to work in-house, with no guarantee of employment…

Jun 2, 2009 12:17 PM CDT