With Biglaw bonus news sweeping the industry, it is easy for those on the outside of Biglaw looking in to feel left out. But there’s good news for folks working at federal clerkships — there’s a bunch of money waiting for you (should you decide to go to Biglaw).
Federal clerkships are incredibly prestigious, and many high-end law firms really want people with that experience to work for them. That’s why the high end of bonuses for federal clerks who decide to join law firms post-clerkship reaches six figures. Now another firm has hit that threshold. Munger Tolles & Olson — a firm with $283,320,000 in gross revenue last year, making it 116th on the Am Law 100 — is paying a bonus of $80,000 for a single federal clerkship, and $105,000 for those with two federal clerkships under their belt.
While impressive, it’s not the very top of clerkship bonuses — that honor goes to California plaintiffs firm Dovel & Luner who offer a jaw-dropping $140,000 as a clerkship bonus. And Quinn Emanuel has a clerkship bonus of $105,000 and folks with only a single year of clerkship experience are eligible for that bonus, with an addition $20,000 if the applicant completes a second qualifying clerkship. Litigation boutique Hueston Hennigan also offers $105,000 bonuses to former federal clerks. Robins Kaplan offers $100,000 bonuses to former federal clerks. Fish & Richardson made headlines with an impressive number to former clerks ($115,000), but that only applies to folks with Federal Circuit experience and it requires two years of service as a clerk.
Despite this good news, most Biglaw clerkship bonuses are still only around $50,000. So what are the other firms waiting for? If you have information about any firm’s clerkship bonuses, you should email us or text us (646-820-8477) with all the details. Thanks!
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Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, host of The Jabot podcast, and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1).
