Top Biglaw Firm Announces Big-Time Raises, Bonuses For Associates
After all this time, this top firm is only the second one to offer supersized bonuses to its super-senior attorneys. Great news!
January is almost over and temperatures are cold, but Biglaw raises are still coming in hot.
We’ve now confirmed that WilmerHale — which reported $1,344,519,000 in gross revenue in 2022 according to the most recent Am Law 100 — has chosen to use the Cravath scale for its compensation increases, meaning these are the salaries associates at the firm will see, retroactive to January 1:
- Class of 2023 – $225,000
- Class of 2022 – $235,000
- Class of 2021 – $260,000
- Class of 2020 – $310,000
- Class of 2019 – $365,000
- Class of 2018 – $390,000
- Class of 2017 – $420,000
- Class of 2016+ – $435,000
WilmerHale is also matching the Cravath bonus scale. The firm reports that 40% of eligible attorneys are receiving above-market compensation thanks to its performance-based merit bonus program. This is what year-end bonuses will look like at the firm, to be paid next month:
- Class of 2023 – pro-rated
- Class of 2022 – $20,000
- Class of 2021 – $30,000
- Class of 2020 – $57,500
- Class of 2019 – $75,000
- Class of 2018 – $90,000
- Class of 2017 – $105,000
- Class of 2016 – $115,000
- Class of 2015+ – $125,000
Wilmer is now the second firm to offer more bonus cash to its most senior attorneys, coming in oh-so close to matching the $130K bonus that Ropes offered to its super seniors. Kudos!
Congratulations to everyone at WilmerHale!
(Flip to the next page to read the firm’s memo in full.)
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Staci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Twitter and Threads or connect with her on LinkedIn.
