Biglaw Firm Says, 'You're Expecting A Bonus, But Please Accept This Hat Instead!'

Not what associates were hoping for.

As bonus fever sweeps the Am Law 100, one firm on the vaunted list — boasting $590,038,000 in 2019 revenue — has come up with another ingenious way of honoring its associates for their contributions to the firm during these troubling times.

Associates received this email promising them a “token of our continued appreciation.” This is where almost every other firm would require us to copy and paste in a special bonus table. Instead…

A “small gift to brighten your space”? What does that mean?

According to tipsters, not all that much:

Can’t make this up. Littler Mendelson sent everyone baseball hats to celebrate hard work during covid. 2/3 of Am Law 100 giving out bonuses and littler out here giving out hats. Well I got a hat but others getting plants?

Maybe this is like “there’s always money in the banana stand” and associates should try looking for a check sewn into the hat. Or maybe it’s a scavenger hunt! It couldn’t possibly be that an Am Law 100 firm saw its peers giving out tens of thousands in bonuses and decided to make good with a $10 hat and a succulent… right?

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Or maybe that’s the Sorting Hat telling associates that their home is with another firm.


HeadshotJoe Patrice is a senior editor at Above the Law and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. Feel free to email any tips, questions, or comments. Follow him on Twitter if you’re interested in law, politics, and a healthy dose of college sports news. Joe also serves as a Managing Director at RPN Executive Search.