Compensation and Benefits

The first type of bonus available is a discretionary bonus based on traditional quality merit factors such as effective advocacy, creativity, analytical ability, quality of written work, responsiveness, client service, participation in firm-sponsored projects and on firm committees, and business generation.  Unless the firm determines that appropriate circumstances exist, an associate who does not satisfy the firm’s minimum billable hour expectation will not be eligible for a discretionary bonus.

The second type of bonus available is a productivity bonus reflecting the firm’s belief that associates who work exceptionally hard while maintaining the firm’s quality standards should be rewarded for their personal sacrifice and economic contribution to the firm.

The firm provides excellent benefits for associates, including:

• payment of annual Bar dues;
• payment of approved expenses for continuing legal education;
• medical, prescription, vision, dental and orthodontia insurance (dependent coverage is available at the employee’s expense);
• long-term disability and life insurance;
• professional liability insurance;
• paid vacation;
• parental leave benefits;
• an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), a program that provides confidential counseling and referral assistance to help employees with a variety of personal and family issues;
• Section 125 Flexible Spending Account that allows designated pre-tax dollars to be used for dependent group insurance premiums, health care costs, and dependent care costs; 
• Section 132 Commute Reimbursement Account that allows designated pre-tax dollars to be used for private parking, carpooling, and mass transit expenses;
• 401(k) Plan, to which new employees are eligible to make contributions beginning with the quarter following their hire date; and 
• reimbursement of relocation expenses for out-of-state attorneys, including reasonable costs for moving company expenses, car shipping or mileage, and airfare or other transportation costs.

For lateral attorneys coming from other jurisdictions, the firm allows three weeks of paid leave to study and sit for the Bar examination, in addition to the fees for the Bar examination, Bar review course, and MPRE (Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination).

Following graduation from law school, first-year associate expenses paid by the firm include:

• a stipend to assist in covering living expenses during the period of study for the Oregon State Bar examination;
• fees associated with the Bar examination;
• the fee for a Bar review course of the associate’s choice; and 
• the fee for the MPRE.