JD Journal » bar stipend

Hogan & Hartson Offers $75,000 Deferral

Erik Even — Sat, 09 May 2009 17:39:56 +0000

Washington, DC-based Hogan & Hartson has joined the ranks of law firms offering a $75,000 stipend to extend the deferrals of incoming associates, in this case to December 2010.

The stipend will be paid this September. Associates who choose the plan will be able to start at the end of 2010, if they pass the bar.

Deferred associates can take time off or do public interest work, but they cannot do work for another private firm.

Associates have already received a $4,000 stipend, in addition to a bar stipend.

In April the firm cut 93 US support staff, and cut associate pay.

Founded in 1904, Hogan & Hartson is the oldest major law firm headquartered in Washington, DC. It is a global firm with more than 1,100 lawyers in 27 offices worldwide, including offices in North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

Morrison & Foerster Defers Start Dates

Erik Even — Wed, 06 May 2009 17:34:31 +0000

Morrison & Foerster has informed 40% of its incoming associate class that their start date has been pushed to April 2010. The remainder will start in November 2009.

Those deferred will get $5,000 per month plus a bar stipend, and reimbursement of health care premia.

Also, new associates can opt to join at an even later date than April 2010, if they do public interest work. Those who take this option will get a $15,000 bonus when they eventually join the firm.

Morrison & Foerster LLP has more than 1,000 lawyers in 19 offices. The firm was founded in San Francisco in 1883.

Dewey & LeBoeuf Offers 18-Month Deferral Program

Erik Even — Tue, 05 May 2009 18:53:02 +0000

Dewey & LeBoeuf, which in March deferred start dates for its 2009 incoming class to January 2010, has now announced a new year-long deferral program called “DL Pursuits.”

Associates who sign on for the plan will get one-third of their salary, full medical, $1,000 in student loan repayment, and bar fees.

First year associates can take the plan for 18-months instead of 12.

Program members who take on a paying job while deferred still get the salary stipend.

Dewey & LeBoeuf is a white shoe law firm formed in 2007 by the merger of Dewey Ballantine and LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae. The firm has 24 offices in 14 countries.

Bingham McCutchen Defers Start Dates

Erik Even — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 21:13:35 +0000

Bingham McCutchen, which ousted 16 attorneys and 23 staff last month, has deferred its incoming associate class to January, 2010.

Deferred associates will receieve a standard $10,000 bar stipend and a $10,000 deferral stipend. They will also be offered a $10,000 salary advance.

Bingham McCutchen LLP is an international law firm with approximately 1,000 attorneys in 11 US offices and three international offices. It represents clients in corporate litigation, cross-border restructurings and insolvencies, financing and securities, government affairs and a wide variety of corporate and technology transactions.

Davis Wright Cuts Associate Salaries

Erik Even — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 20:14:15 +0000

Sources on the blawgosphere report that Seattle’s Davis Wright Tremaine has cut associate salaries by 5%. The cut affects all class years.

Davis Wright is also pushing back start dates of its incoming associates to January 2010. A bar stipend of $7,500 has been offered.

Established in 1908, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP has offices in Washington, Oregon, Alaska, California, Washington DC, New York, and Shanghai. In 2008, the National Law Journal ranked the firm 98th largest in the United States based on attorney headcount.

WilmerHale Defers Start Dates, Offers $75,000

Erik Even — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 19:24:54 +0000

WilmerHale is deferring start dates for its 2009 associate class.

Some associates will be deferred to January 20th, 2010, and others to March 17th of that year.

January associates will get a $10,000 deferral stipend on top of their $5,000 bar stipend. March associates will get a $15,000 bar stipend. Funny, if you do the math, there doesn’t seem to be a difference.

First years may also defer their start dates to Fall 2010, for a stipend of $75,000. The plan is voluntary, and does not require participation in a public interest fellowship.

Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr LLP has twelve offices across the USA, Europe and Asia. It was created in 2004 through the merger of the Boston’s Hale & Dorr and the Washington’s Wilmer Cutler & Pickering, and employs more than 1,100 attorneys worldwide. As of 2008, it was the 23rd largest law firm in the world in terms of revenue. In 2007, the National Law Journal ranked the firm as the 22nd largest in the United States by number of attorneys.

Winston & Strawn Defers Start Dates

Erik Even — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 18:46:11 +0000

According to online sources, Winston & Strawn has pushed back 2009 incoming associate start dates to January 19th, 2010.

Deferred associates will receive an additional $15,000, in addition to their $10,000 bar stipend. The firm will provide health care benefits to its incoming associates, starting this September.

Winston & Strawn LLP was founded in Chicago in 1853. It employs about 1,000 attorneys among 13 offices in the United States, Europe and Asia.

Shearman & Sterling Defers Start Dates

Erik Even — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 22:23:25 +0000

New York’s Shearman & Sterling will defer its 2009 associate class.

From the memo:

In light of current economic conditions and the reduced activity in some of our practices, the firm is facing the challenge that it will be unable to offer all our incoming Class of 2009 associates the quality and breadth of work that we feel is necessary to properly train new lawyers. As a result, we are offering a Delayed Start Program to our incoming Class of 2009 associates that will allow you to defer your start date with the firm until 2010 while you pursue public interest, academic or personal development opportunities.

Incoming Class of 2009 associates who choose to participate in the Delayed Start Program will have an offer to join the firm as a first year associate in the Class of 2010, with the option to start on the first start dates for Class of 2010 associates. We have not yet determined the start dates for incoming Class of 2009 associates who choose to not participate in the Delayed Start Program, but… the earliest start date will not be before December 2009…

Participants in the Delayed Start Program will receive a stipend of $65,000. In addition, the firm
will pay for a bar admission preparation course and reimburse you for expenses associated with
taking the California, Washington, D.C. or New York bar exam…

In March, the firm laid off 78 staffers.

Shearman & Sterling LLP is a law firm headquartered in New York City, with 19 offices located in major financial centers around the world. It was founded in 1873.

As of 2006, it was the 17th largest law firm in the world as measured by 2006 annual revenue. Shearman & Sterling is a white shoe firm, the equivalent of the Magic Circle in the UK.

Alston & Bird Defers Start Dates

Erik Even — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 19:09:50 +0000

Atlanta-based Alston & Bird is deferring start dates for incoming associates.

Summer programs are being reduced to nine weeks. Entering associates will be deferred to January, 2010. There will be a $10,000 stipend offered.

Those interested in a one-year public service or pro bono fellowship will get payments of $500 per month. Alston & Bird will be provide salary advances, as well as covering bar exam and study course fees and moving expenses.

Alston & Bird LLP is the second largest law firm in Atlanta and the forty-third largest in the United States. Founded in 1893, the firm has local offices in Atlanta; Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina; New York City; Washington, DC; Dallas; Los Angeles, the Silicon Valley and Ventura County.

Edwards Angell Defers Start Dates, Cancels Summer Program

Erik Even — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 17:04:15 +0000

Yesterday, Edwards Angell announced the layoffs of 25 lawyers and 35 staff, or 15% of the firm’s workforce.

Today the firm announced will delay the start dates for its incoming first year associates to March 1, 2010.

Deferred first years will get a $10,000 stipend plus bar expenses.

The firm has also canceled its 2009 summer associate program. Edwards Angell will be paying $5,000 each to the nine students affected.

Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP is an American law firm based in Boston, Massachusetts. The firm is number 97 on the list of the world’s largest law firms by 2006 revenue. The firm was formed by the 2005 merger of Edwards & Angell LLP and Palmer & Dodge LLP.

Ballard Spahr Defers Start Dates

Erik Even — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 17:38:23 +0000

Ballard Spahr has informed its incoming class that it is delaying 2009 start dates to September 2010.

There will be a $45,000 stipend offered, in addition to the usual $5,000 bar stipend. There will also be a $5,500 health benefit stipend offered.

The firm says it will try to help the incoming associates find jobs. They must find a job to get the money.

In January Ballard Spahr laid off as many as 65 people.

Ballard Spahr employs more than 550 lawyers in twelve offices located throughout the mid-Atlantic corridor and the western US.

Update: Chadbourne & Parke Lays Off 25 Lawyers

Erik Even — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 20:55:03 +0000

Chadbourne & Parke has confirmed that the firm laid off 25 associates and counsel across its 13 offices worldwide today.

The associates affected were primarily in the firm’s transactional practices. All those laid off have been informed, and will be privately offered severance packages.

Chadbourne is delaying the start date for its incoming associate class until January 2010. The 28 associates affected will receive a $13,000 stipend to cover bar preparation costs and other expenses.

The firm does not anticipate any more layoffs.

Chadbourne & Parke LLP has some 400 lawyers and tax advisers in 13 offices in nine countries.

Venable Announces Layoffs

Erik Even — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 16:18:08 +0000

Baltimore’s Venable has announced layoffs.

From the official email announcement:

We understand that communicating this action by email is not ideal. However, it is important that you know of the Firm’s action as soon as possible.

Approximately 3% of our attorneys (16), 8% of our full time staff (43), and 7% of our paralegals (5) will be directly impacted. The individuals who are subject to the layoff are being offered severance packages, as well as professional assistance in locating new employment. As part of the severance package, the Firm is offering health care coverage that will be paid by the Firm through June 30, 2009. We ask that you provide our colleagues who are affected by today’s action the respect and compassion that they need in this difficult time.

For the innumerate, that’s 64 people laid off.

Also:

Venable will also delay the start of the incoming class of first year associates from September 2009 to January 4, 2010. The Firm will pay for the costs associated with preparation for, and the taking of, the Bar exam. In addition, the Firm will provide our incoming class with a $10,000 stipend in September 2009.

Venable LLP is a law firm, formerly known as Venable, Baetjer & Howard LLP. It was founded in Baltimore in the post-Civil War period. Today the firm maintains six Northeastern US offices and specializes in patent litigation, labor and employment law and white collar investigations. Venable employs nearly 600 attorneys.

O’Melveny & Myers Delays Start Dates

Erik Even — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 18:46:04 +0000

O’Melveny & Myers, which yesterday laid off 90 attorneys and 110 staff positions, is delaying the start date for its new associate class.

The new start date is December 2009. Typically, the firm’s new associates start between September and November.

We will be providing our incoming associates with a bar stipend, as well as bar and moving-related expenses. We have not asked incoming associates to defer their employment for a year and have no plans to do so. As such, we are not paying any related deferral stipend.

O’Melveny & Myers LLP is the 19th largest law firm in the world. It employs 1200 attorneys in 14 offices worldwide.