Biglaw

Biglaw Firm Takes Harsh Stance On Productivity This Year

Bill your hours or you won't be considered for a bonus.

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Oof, 2020, what a year! Amirite? I know, we still have three months left in this interminable year, but still, we know it’s been a doozy of a year. But however long 2020 has seemed, that hasn’t always translated into a boon of billable hours for Biglaw associates.

The pandemic has exploded everyone’s personal obligations and whether stymied by remote learning, illness of themselves or a loved one, the emotional turmoil of social injustice, or depression, lots of excellent attorneys have found it challenging to bill at pre-pandemic levels. And that’s assuming the hours are even there in the first place. With the economic downturn that accompanied the pandemic, if an associate is ready and able to work, sometimes the hours just aren’t there. Whether it’s particular practice groups that have taken a slump, clients that are particularly hard hit, or partners hoarding the hours, sometimes its more about the firm’s business model than anything an associate did wrong.

So, you might think that, given all these factors, if a Biglaw firm has billing thresholds to get year-end bonuses, they might loosen up some of those requirements in order to retain the best and brightest during this trying time — after all, not every firm even has these strict requirements. Well, when it comes to Arnold & Porter, welp, you’d be wrong.

Earlier this week, an email was sent out from firm leadership codifying a statement made in a town hall. The firm is encouraging associates to send in “hours messages” as part of their annual review process, for anyone who failed to hit the expected 2,000 hours threshold. Which, so far, so good. With all that 2020’s been, some consideration is warranted. But then the email goes on to explain that statement will only go towards whether an associate is still considered in good standing and the hours statement “will not impact bonus eligibility for 2020. The hours thresholds for bonus consideration remain unchanged.”

Yikes. I mean I guess it’s a step in the right direction that the firm won’t put an associate on a performance improvement plan or something just because they only managed to bill 1,800 hours in this crazy year, but I guess there’s a limit to Biglaw’s compassion.

And 2,000 hours is just nonnegotiable.

Read the full email below (click to enlarge).

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headshotKathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, and host of The Jabot podcast. 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).

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