When it comes to lawyers’ remuneration one generally gets the impression from clients that less is more. Obviously associates disagree when it comes to their bonuses, click to check out some of the comments recent cuts have elicited.

Whilst most clients accept the necessity of legal fees, there are probably not many who would mind seeing a reduction on that invoice. But does that translate into a need to cut the bonuses of junior lawyers doing the heavy lifting?

Whilst there is no suggestion that associate bonuses are being cut to please clients at the moment but interestingly, it has opened up something of a debate on f/k/a. This looks a little deeper into the issue; to give you a flavour:

Clients should indeed “care” how bonuses are given: They should be pleased when bonuses are based on the “actual value-added or superior associate performances,” but they should be unhappy when (as with most of the big law firms) bonuses are “handed out automatically without regard to the quality and results of the work of each associate do not.”

For the full fat version click and join the debate.