The scale is substantially higher than the awards announced previously by such firms as Susman Godfrey, Quinn, Emanuel, Urquhart & Sullivan, and Cahill Gordon & Reindell, which all went well beyond the low bonus bar set early in the season by Cravath, Swaine & Moore.

While Cravath awarded bonuses of $7,500 to $35,000 to its associates, Cahill did better, doling out awards of $10,000 to $25,000. (Cahill also plans to pay an additional year-end bonus in January that is likely to match the rates set by Cravath and other firms.)