RollOnFriday has learned that London associates at Skadden have been awarded year-end bonuses of up to $100,000.

London lawyers working for US firms usually receive far smaller bonuses than their stateside colleagues, but according to Skadden insiders, this year they are in line for exactly the same amounts. And some of them are quite large:

 NQ  $15,000 (prorated)
 1PQE  $15,000
 2PQE  $25,000
 3PQE  $40,000
 4PQE  $55,000
 5PQE  $70,000
 6PQE  $85,000
 7+PQE  $100,000/$110,000

Executive Chairman Eric J Freidman sent separate memos to each year group explaining that the discretionary bonusus were "in appreciation for your hard work". Some 7+PQE associates are in line for $110,000 "in recognition of extraordinary performance and intensity of effort", which translates as a level of beasting rarely witnessed in this plane of reality, but which will hopefully abate for a few minutes on December 19th when the cash arrives.


  A green Christmas at Skadden, yesterday

The awards, some of which are double last year's, have been matched in the US by Davis Polk and Simpson Thacher. However neither of those firms would disclose to RollOnFriday whether UK lawyers were included in the jackpot. Skadden also declined to comment.
 
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Comments

Anonymous 28 November 14 14:22

Both Simpson and Davis Polk assocs also receive the US bonus. Davis will actually pay more than this from 3PQE and up. Kirkland possibly higher still. I believe London assocs at most of the New York white shoe firms receive the US bonus, not just Skadden, Simpson and Davis.