Quinn Emanuel Gives Extra Bonuses Up to $32,900 for Top Billers

Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan is giving its associates a special fall bonus ranging up to $32,900.

The firm is the first to hand out additional bonus money, beyond annual bonuses, to Big Law associates since 2021.

The extra payments are calculated based on seniority and billable hours, the firm announced on Monday morning in an internal email by its global co-managing partner William Burck. The special bonuses are in addition to the traditional year-end bonus, Burck said.

The announcement comes in what otherwise has been a quiet bonus front. Associate bonuses and salaries reached new heights during the pandemic amid record workflow and a hiring frenzy. But just as the markets stalled in 2022, so did special bonuses.

Special bonus amounts for Quinn Emanuel associates range from $2,120 for the class of 2023 associates who billed between 2,000 and 2,099 hours and $4,292 for those that billed more than 2,700 hours, according to Burck’s email. The firm is handing out bonuses between $16,251 for its most senior associates billing between 2,000 and 2,099 hours and $32,908 for those that billed more than 2,700 hours.

“The firm is having another tremendously successful year—thanks to the hard work, commitment and sacrifices made by each of you,” Burck said in his email.

Big Law firms typically announce year-end bonuses in late November. Last year, firms handed out annual bonuses ranging from $15,000 to $115,000 for their most senior associates.