One of the many benefits of having a federal clerkship is the extra bonus you’ll receive if you decide to head to a Biglaw firm post-clerkship. Many elite firms really want people with highly demanding clerkship experience to work for them, and that’s why the high end of bonuses for federal clerks who decide to join some Biglaw and boutique firms post-clerkship can reach six figures. To that end, we’ve got exciting news about yet another litigation powerhouse that’s boosted its clerkship signing bonus.
Susman Godfrey — a firm that recently decided to reject Biglaw’s broken recruiting model in favor of a solution that should work for law students and law firms alike — has also announced that it will increase its signing bonus for all federal district or appellate clerkships to $180,000 (up from $125,000). For two or more qualifying clerkship, the firm will offer an additional $20,000, for a total signing bonus of $200,000 (up from $150,000). Click here to see more information on the firm’s U.S. compensation and benefits.
“Every one of our associates has completed at least one (and sometimes several) federal clerkships,” Hunter Vance, partner and co-chair of the firm’s employment committee, told Above the Law. “This increase in clerkship bonuses reflects the firm’s commitment to paying these superstar associates what they are worth: at the very top of the market.”
So, which other firms are offering six-figure bonuses to former clerks? Susman now joins Hueston Hennigan in offering a market-leading $180,000 bonus to federal clerks who join the firm. Quinn Emanuel offers an impressive $175,000 bonus for a single year of clerkship experience, with an additional $25,000 if the applicant completes a second qualifying clerkship. Boies Schiller offers a $150,000 bonus for all federal clerkships, or $175,000 for those who have completed multiple clerkships. Plaintiffs firm Dovel & Luner offers $140,000 as a clerkship bonus. Cravath offers clerkship bonuses of $125,000, while those who have completed a clerkship of two years or two one-year clerkships will receive a bonus of $150,000. Munger Tolles pays a bonus of $125,000 for a single federal clerkship, and $150,000 for those with two federal clerkships under their belt. Fish & Richardson offers a $115,000 clerkship bonus, but that only applies to folks with Federal Circuit experience and it requires two years of service as a clerk. Robins Kaplan offers $100,000 bonuses to former federal clerks.
With the rush on top talent in a still hot lateral market, what are the other firms waiting for? Don’t they want to capture some of the magic that former federal clerks can offer? 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.
Staci Zaretsky is the managing editor of 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 Bluesky, X/Twitter, and Threads, or connect with her on LinkedIn.
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