Leading Law Firm Announces Market-Beating $180K Signing Bonuses For Federal Clerks

It’s well known that federal clerkships are incredibly prestigious and highly demanding, and many elite firms really want people with that experience to work for them. That’s why the high end of bonuses for federal clerks who decide to join some Biglaw and boutique firms post-clerkship can reach six figures. As of this week, a leading law firm is officially upping the financial ante, which other litigation powerhouses eager for clerk capabilities may soon match or even exceed?

Sources say that prestigious litigation boutique Hueston Hennigan is increasing its already generous signing bonus for all federal district and appellate court clerkships to $180,000. The firm now takes the lead among all other Biglaw firms and litigation boutiques that offer these high-dollar signing bonuses to former federal clerks. Astute observers of the legal market probably aren’t surprised by the news — Hueston Hennigan has a reputation of being generous with its bonuses.

So, which other firms are offering six-figure bonuses to former clerks? Boies Schiller offers an impressive $150,000 bonus for all federal clerkships, or $175,000 for those who have completed multiple clerkships. Plaintiffs firm Dovel & Luner offers $140,000 as a clerkship bonus. Cravath offers clerkship bonuses of $125,000, while those who have completed a clerkship of two years or two one-year clerkships will receive a bonus of $150,000. Susman Godfrey offers $125,000 for one clerkship, and $150,000 for two. Quinn Emanuel has a clerkship bonus of $125,000 for a single year of clerkship experience, with an additional $25,000 if the applicant completes a second qualifying clerkship. Fish & Richardson made headlines with an impressive number to former clerks ($115,000), but that only applies to folks with Federal Circuit experience and it requires two years of service as a clerk. Robins Kaplan offers $100,000 bonuses to former federal clerks. Munger Tolles pays a bonus of $80,000 for a single federal clerkship, and $105,000 for those with two federal clerkships under their belt.

With the rush on top talent in a still hot lateral market, what are the other firms waiting for? Don’t they want to capture some of the magic that former federal clerks can offer? If you have information about any firm’s clerkship bonuses, you should email us or text us (646-820-8477) with all the details. Thanks.

Staci Zaretsky is a senior editor at 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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