Wake Up Call: Kirkland Joins the Associate Bonus Parade

In today’s column, Big Law firms this year aim to continue the billing practices that helped them bring in strong revenues last year despite the pandemic; King & Spalding said it plans to close its Moscow office; K&L Gates took on the United States Cannabis Council as a lobbying client.

• Leading off, Kirkland & Ellis and Shearman & Sterling are the latest Big Law firms to tell associates they’ll get special bonuses this year totaling up to $64,000, depending on year of seniority. After Cravath Swaine & Moore this week matched the bonus scale recently set by Davis Polk & ...