Biglaw’s bonus season is moving right on schedule, with firms steadily matching the now-prevailing scales. Cravath once again set the year-end bonus structure, while Milbank set the bar for special bonus scales, and the industry has wasted no time following suit. One by one, firms are confirming that this year’s bonus picture looks very familiar — and very lucrative — for associates.
The latest firm to match the market is Freshfields, which brought in $2,981,807,000 gross revenue in 2024, putting it at No. 13 on the Global 100. Here’s what the scale looks like at the firm:
Bonuses will hit bank accounts on December 30, paving the way for a very happy new year. Congratulations to everyone at Freshfields!
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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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