The 2025 Bonus & Sign-On Landscape in BigLaw: How Firms Are Getting Creative to Secure Top Talent

As we near the halfway mark of 2025, the BigLaw lateral market remains strong and competitive. While base salaries have long been standardized across most major firms, bonuses and sign-on incentives are still key ways in which firms set themselves apart and compete for top talent.

The days of straightforward, predictable signing bonuses aren’t as common as they used to be. Today, firms are getting strategic and creative about how they present offers, reward commitment, and show long-term investment.

Sign-On Bonuses: Still in Play, but Strategically Used

Sign-on bonuses are very much still in play across the AmLaw 100, but they are being used more selectively and thoughtfully than in past years. Rather than offering sign-ons across the board, firms are using them more deliberately to achieve specific goals:

- Filling urgent needs in high-demand practice areas

- Competing for candidates who have multiple offers or are being heavily recruited by competitors  

- Attracting talent to specific offices, especially in growing secondary markets or less populated satellite locations

- Rewarding associates with specialized expertise

- Offsetting lifestyle trade-offs like return-to-office requirements

Many of these bonuses are tied to retention milestones to make sure that firms are not just attracting talent but retaining it.

Year-End Bonuses

From a recruitment perspective, it’s important to understand that year-end bonuses for laterals can vary – it often depends on your start date, the firm’s policies, how the offer is structured, and sometimes how the negotiations play out. Some firms tend to pro-rate bonuses based on start date, while others may offer a guaranteed bonus, especially if you’re leaving money on the table to make the move or joining during a peak hiring period. It often comes down to how the firm structures lateral offers and how motivated they are to close.

That said, firms outside the AmLaw 50 often adjust bonuses based on regional factors like cost of living or firm profitability, so candidates should expect more fluctuation when moving to these firms.

Special & Discretionary Bonuses

Firms are still giving out special bonuses, usually when workloads spike or when the firm has a particularly strong financial year. They’re often paid out mid-year and aren’t guaranteed, but they’re definitely still happening.

Additionally, discretionary and merit-based bonuses are becoming more common, especially at firms that value individual performance or want to reward contributions beyond billable hours like mentoring junior associates, diversity efforts, or client development.

Bonus Timing

While December and January remain the most common payout periods, more firms are experimenting with flexible bonus timing. We’re seeing trends like:

- Quarterly reviews and rolling bonus payouts

- Mid-year merit-based rewards

- Deferred bonuses tied to retention (e.g., spread over 6–12 months)

These changes give firms more flexibility to reward strong performance and encourage longer-term commitment.

When You’re Likely to See a Sign-OnBonus

Not every lateral move comes with a sign-on, but your chances improve if:

- You’re in a high-demand practice area

- You’re juggling multiple offers or being heavily recruited

- You’re lateraling from a top competitor

- You’re relocating to a market or office where the firm is actively growing

- You bring valuable deal experience or specialized skills

In BigLaw, bonuses and sign-ons still matter, but they’re no longer one-size-fits-all-perks. They’re strategic tools that firms are using to win over the right talent, at the right time.

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