Summary: One law firm is upping the associate bonus scale amount while another is including more than just associates in their season of giving.
Updated December 9, 2016 at 10:00am.
Cravath Swaine & Moore has finally been outdone. Greenberg Gross LLP 
announced that their year-end bonus will be higher than the standard set by Cravath. The firm has had a big year with numerous additions to their firm and big plans to open a new office next month in Los Angeles.
Greenberg Gross did not announce what the amount will be, only that they will exceed the amount promised by Cravath and many other law firms. Greenberg has confirmed that they are starting off their bonuses at a minimum of $5,000 above the scale set by Cravath for associates in good standing. Associates who have performed above and beyond the firm’s expectations are subject to an even bigger increase.
Another firm has upped the ante by including their support staff in the bonus season. Quite often the paralegals, secretaries, administrative assistants, and other support staff that help large law firms run are forgotten while the fellow associates ring in the big bucks. Weil Gotshal & Manges has acknowledged the importance their support staff plays in the success of their firm by giving them a little extra this holiday season.
Their personnel including human resources, paralegals, business development, secretaries and more will receive an extra one week of pay on top of any discretionary year-end bonus they were going to receive. They will receive their extra bonus on December 23 while associates have to hold out until January 31. All U.S. staff must be employed with Weil Gotshal starting before October 1 to be eligible and still be in good standing.
Do you think other firms will catch on to this idea to make it a trend of showing appreciation to the support staff? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.
To learn more about the associate bonuses this year, read these articles:
- Year-End Bonuses Not So Happy for All
- Law Firms Across the Globe Match Cravath Bonuses
- Cravath Keeps Year-End Bonus the Same
Photo: flickr.com
