Susman Godfrey announced today its election to partner of all five associates in its 2021 partnership class. In recognition of the enormous contributions of all associates to the firm’s success this year, it also announced year-end bonuses that far surpassed the combined bonuses paid by major law firms during 2021.
The five new partners are in the firm’s Houston, Los Angeles and New York offices, came to the firm after one or more federal clerkships, and will join Susman Godfrey’s equity-only partnership as full equity partners. Four of the new partners spent six years at the firm following their clerkship and one spent five years at the firm after completing clerkships at the district, appellate and U.S. Supreme Court level.
In the last three years, 17 of the firm’s associates have been up for partner at the end of the firm’s traditional track, and all 17 have been elected as equity partners.
The firm’s new partners are:
From Houston: Michael Kelso, Rocco Magni
From New York: Geng Chen, Zach Savage
From Los Angeles: Glenn Bridgman
Because the SG partnership consists of only equity partners, associates join the firm as part of a predetermined partnership class. Susman Godfrey awards year-end bonuses based on partnership class rather than graduation year from law school.
The median 2021 bonus for each partnership class at Susman Godfrey is:
| 2021 | $215,000 |
| 2022 | $215,000 |
| 2023 | $210,000 |
| 2024 | $186,000 |
| 2025 | $160,000 |
| 2026 | $115,000 |
For purposes of comparing Susman Godfrey associate bonuses to those of law firms that award bonuses on law school graduation year, the median bonuses for Susman Godfrey associates by graduation year are:
| 2013 | $215,000 |
| 2014 | $215,000 |
| 2015 | $202,000 |
| 2016 | $186,000 |
| 2017 | $186,000 |
| 2018 | $115,000 |
| 2019 | $105,000 |
The firm also announced bonuses for all employees – part of the firm’s philosophy of sharing its success with everyone who contributes to it.
Managing Partners Kalpana Srinivasan and Neal Manne said the following about today’s announcement: “We are thrilled that our firm can continue to expand its partnership as our litigation practice thrives and we face growing demand for lawyers to handle clients’ most important disputes. We have exceptional associates who play a central role in achieving our excellent case outcomes, even when faced with the hurdles presented by a worldwide pandemic. We are delighted we can reward them for their incredible work.”
