The world’s highest-grossing law firm isn’t the only one trying to make it tougher for partners to leave. But Kirkland & Ellis’ decision to withhold partners’ accrued compensation at the firm’s discretion could expand the pool of law firms using pay levers to dissuade departures.
Legal industry sources say the kind of clawback implemented by Kirkland & Ellis this week already is “not uncommon” and that the type of firm that makes use of such disincentives “runs the gamut” of the Am Law 200 and beyond, though the specific policies vary and perhaps lean toward firms that already hand out more substantial pay packages.
