#biglaw
#biglaw

The Most Searched For Biglaw Firms (2023)

Cravath was the most searched Biglaw firm in 2023 due to the new salary scale.

BTI Consulting Group categorizes other firms as "strongly searched" and "searched well above others." [ more ]

Above the Law

Is A Biglaw Firm Pulling A Bait And Switch On Associate Bonuses?

A major Biglaw firm changed the requirements for bonuses at the last minute

Associates were ranked against others in their class years for hours and payouts [ more ]

Above the Law

Top 25 Biglaw Firm Hands Out Big Raises, Bonuses To Associates

Sullivan & Cromwell is the latest Biglaw firm to announce raises and bonuses for its attorneys.

The firm is using the Cravath scale for its compensation increases and matching the Cravath bonus scale. [ more ]

Above the Law

Associate Layoffs Come To Top 50 Biglaw Firm

Top Biglaw firm K&L Gates is conducting associate layoffs in multiple offices due to a lack of billable hours.

The layoffs do not indicate an overall decline in the firm's health, as it has seen strong revenue growth. [ more ]

Above the Law

The Biglaw Raise Wave Goes International

Raises are happening in Biglaw firms, including international offices like Herbert Smith Freehills in the UK.

Readers are encouraged to provide tips on bonus updates and can sign up for bonus alerts from Above the Law. [ more ]

Above the Law

On Top Of Raises, This Top 10 Biglaw Firm Is The First To Offer Supersized Bonuses To Super-Senior Associates

Ropes & Gray is rewarding super-senior associates with high salaries and bonuses.

The firm is the first to offer higher bonus payouts for super-senior associates. [ more ]

Above the Law

Top 10 Biglaw Firm Spreads The Wealth By Making It Rain On Associates

Biglaw firms are increasing associate wages and announcing year-end bonuses.

Morgan Lewis, ranked No. 8 in the Am Law 100, has confirmed raises and bonuses for its associates. [ more ]

Above the Law

Biglaw Firms Should Give Associates Bonuses On This 'Giving Tuesday' So They Can Give Back

Associates in Biglaw are awaiting bonus and raise announcements.

Associates may consider using their bonus money to support a charitable cause on Giving Tuesday.

Associates are encouraged to share the wealth with those less fortunate or in need of legal assistance. [ more ]

Above the Law

Matching Milbank Is Incredibly Affordable... Don't Believe Anyone Suggesting It's Not.

Law firms are facing criticism for not matching Milbank's $10,000 base compensation increase for associates.

The cost of a match for firms like Cravath and Davis Polk is relatively small compared to their revenue.

Biglaw firms have the financial means to raise associate salaries without significant impact on partner profits. [ more ]

moreBiglaw

Above the Law

1 week ago

Don't These Federal Judges Have Something Better To Do? - See Also

Conservative judges shift focus to themselves during Palestinian protests [ more ]

Above the Law

1 week ago

Top Biglaw Firm Opens Another Texas Outpost With The Help Of Some Lateral Partners

Willkie Farr & Gallagher is expanding its presence in Texas by opening an office in Dallas, focusing on private equity, M&A, and transactional work in the energy and non-energy sectors. [ more ]

Above the Law

2 weeks ago

Paul Weiss Effort To Expand Not Going As Well As Planned

Paul Weiss faces challenges expanding to Houston despite offering significant guarantees to potential partners. [ more ]

Above the Law

3 weeks ago

This Biglaw Firm Is Making It Rain April Showers Of Cash On All Associates

Biglaw firm Morris Nichols increases associate salaries to $210,000, aiming to attract and retain top legal talent. [ more ]

Above the Law

4 weeks ago

New Biglaw Firm Alert: Troutman Pepper And Locke Lord In Merger Negotiations

Merging to compete with larger firms is a strategy to reach mammoth status in Biglaw. [ more ]

Above the Law

4 weeks ago

This Biglaw Firm Had A Pretty Successful 2023

The Biglaw firm with the highest increase in revenue per lawyer last year saw an 82.58% rise, partially due to a lawsuit against Fox News. [ more ]

Above the Law

4 weeks ago

The 2024 Am Law 100 Ranking Is Here!

Fiscal 2023 showed growth in revenue, RPL, profitability metrics for Biglaw despite not reaching pre-pandemic highs. [ more ]

Above the Law

Making The Journey From Biglaw To In-House

Transitioning from Biglaw to in-house counsel and leveraging AI in legal practice for efficiency and work-life balance. [ more ]

Above the Law

Morning Docket: 04.04.24

M&A activity boosting Biglaw profits

Kirkland remains ahead of competitors [ more ]

Above the Law

Biglaw Firm's Group Lateral Hire Results In Closure Of Nearly 50-Year-Old Boutique

Group lateral moves remain popular in Biglaw, evidenced by Fennemore Craig's recent acquisition.

Moye White is closing down as majority lawyers and staff move to Fennemore Craig, impacting its 50-year-old business. [ more ]

Above the Law

Top-Performing Partners To Get Mega Bonuses At This Biglaw Firm

One Biglaw firm increased partner bonuses to 15%.

Partner bonuses are in the $12-$15 million range. [ more ]

Above the Law

What March Madness Can Teach Us About Law Firm Parity

Biglaw firms expanding to smaller markets for premium services

Parallels between March Madness upsets and law firm reputation growth [ more ]

Above the Law

Education

The Best Law Schools For Getting A Biglaw Job (2024)

Law.com ranks go-to law schools for Biglaw jobs based on associate positions at large firms.

Northwestern breaks Columbia's 10-year reign in the go-to law schools ranking. [ more ]

Above the Law

Biglaw Associate Reportedly Loses Job Over Legal Tantrum Related To Kittens

An associate at a Biglaw firm in London lost their job over a bizarre incident involving purchasing kittens on a work secondment.

The associate's attempt to return the kittens due to fleas led to a chain of events resulting in their termination from the firm. [ more ]

Above the Law

Mental health

Biglaw Partner Suffered From 'Acute Mental Health Crisis' Before Her Tragic Death

Long working hours can have detrimental effects on mental health

Accessing mental health support is crucial in preventing tragedies [ more ]

Above the Law

Top 50 Biglaw Firm Cracking Down On In-Office Attendance

Firms seek in-office balance post-pandemic

Arnold & Porter faces compliance challenges [ more ]

Above the Law

Elite Biglaw Firm Celebrates Its Most Successful Financial Year In History

Hogan Lovells, a top Biglaw firm, had a record financial performance in 2023 after disappointing financials in 2022.

The firm's net revenue increased by 17%, profits per equity partner increased by 20.3%, and brand awareness in commercial markets played a key role in the turnaround. [ more ]

Above the Law

In 2024, There's Nowhere For Biglaw To Go But Up

Biglaw revenue growth up 6% at year's end

Demand up 0.7% with standard billing rates at all-time high [ more ]

Above the Law

Am Law 100 Firm Names Younger Partner As Chair Elect To Lead Alongside Non-Lawyer CEO

Husch Blackwell has named a new chair elect who is significantly younger than the average Big Law leader.

The firm plans to have a non-lawyer business professional as its CEO, making her the only one to lead an Am Law 100 firm. [ more ]

Above the Law

Am Law 200 Firm Hires COO In Order To Adopt A Biglaw Success Model

Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott has hired a chief operations officer after going without one for 10 years.

The firm is looking to adopt Big Law strategies to improve its management structure and financial performance. [ more ]

Above the Law

People Wrongly Believe All Lawyers Make Bank

Many lawyers do not earn extreme wealth and have relatively modest incomes compared to other professionals.

Earning a high salary at a Biglaw firm is not indicative of the overall income potential for lawyers. [ more ]

Above the Law

4 months ago

It Was A Rough Year For M&A, But This Biglaw Firm Came Out On Top

In 2023, there was a slow year for mergers and acquisitions.

The firm that led Biglaw in deal volume in 2023 advised on 603 deals valued at around $343 billion. [ more ]

Above the Law

4 months ago

Latest Biglaw Firm To Raise Associate Salaries Proves Compensation Hikes Aren't Just For The Biggest Firms

Biglaw firms are matching the new associate compensation scale started by Milbank and Cravath

Even smaller firms like Choate Hall are keeping up with the big firms on salaries [ more ]

Above the Law

4 months ago

Top 50 Biglaw Firm Makes Cuts Due To 'Redundancy Issues'

Proskauer Rose, a Biglaw firm, laid off more than 20 members of its business professionals staff in August.

The layoffs are part of cost-cutting and efficiency measures taken by the firm, consistent with other large law firms.

The layoffs were not publicly announced, highlighting a trend of stealth layoffs in the legal industry. [ more ]

ABA Journal

Not to be outdone, first-mover Milbank increases its raises for some associates

Milbank, the first BigLaw firm to announce associate pay hikes this year, is adjusting its pay scale after other firms embraced a more generous scale.

Midlevel and senior associates at Milbank will receive higher pay than initially announced, with those in the class of 2016 receiving $435,000. [ more ]

Above the Law