Nicely, nicely, nicely — look who simply slid into bonus season with their checkbook open. Dechert has formally matched the prevailing year-end and particular bonus scale, guaranteeing associates can breathe for no less than 5 minutes earlier than remembering their hours are due right this moment.
However Dechert didn’t cease at a easy match. Oh no. The agency additionally introduced further compensation for prime billers, as a result of nothing says “we worth you” like handing out more cash to the associates burning that midnight oil.
Affiliate bonuses, which can be paid earlier than the tip of January 2026, are on the beneath scale:
| 2025 U.S. Bonus Scale | ||
| Class 12 months | 2025 12 months Finish Bonus | Particular Bonus |
| 2024 | $20,000 | $6,000 |
| 2023 | $30,000 | $10,000 |
| 2022 | $57,500 | $15,000 |
| 2021 | $75,000 | $20,000 |
| 2020 | $90,000 | $25,000 |
| 2019 | $105,000 | $25,000 |
| 2018+ | $115,000 | $25,000 |
And right here’s the excessive biller advantageous print:
As beforehand communicated, legal professionals who recorded 2,200 extraordinary bonus hours are eligible to obtain a further 30% above the year-end bonus quantity, and those that recorded 2,400 extraordinary bonus hours are eligible to obtain a further 40%. This extraordinary bonus is along with the quantities set forth above and goals to acknowledge and reward distinctive contributions.
Dechert matching Cravath (and Milbank on particular bonuses) is one other domino falling in a season that, to date, has been stuffed with cautious optimism and strategic generosity. It will put stress on peer companies to get their very own bulletins out earlier than each affiliate in America begins drafting inner emails titled “please advise as to bonus timeline.”
Bonus season is formally in full swing.
And in case you’re a excessive biller at Dechert?
That ka-ching you hear is your vacation spirit.
Learn the complete e mail on the following web page.
So, is your agency matching *each* the year-end and particular bonuses? Let Above the Legislation know! We rely in your tricks to keep on high of vital bonus updates, so when your agency matches (or in the event that they fail to take action), please textual content us (646-820-8477) or e mail us (topic line: “[Firm Name] Matches”). Please embrace the memo, if obtainable. You may take a photograph of the memo and ship it by way of textual content or e mail in case you don’t wish to ahead the unique PDF or Phrase file.
And in case you’d like to enroll in ATL’s Bonus Alerts (which is the alert checklist we additionally use for wage bulletins), please scroll down and enter your e mail deal with within the field beneath this put up. When you beforehand signed up for the bonus alerts, you don’t have to do something. You’ll obtain an e mail notification inside minutes of every bonus announcement that we publish. Thanks for all your assist!
Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Legislation, host of The Jabot podcast, and co-host of Pondering Like A Lawyer. AtL tipsters are one of the best, so please join along with her. Be happy to e mail her with any suggestions, questions, or feedback and comply with her on Twitter @Kathryn1 or Mastodon @[email protected].
