As firms debate whether to match the associate pay raises pushed by Milbank and Davis Polk & Wardwell last week, and lavish praise on their young associates who put in yeoman work over the past year, professional staff are wondering when the pandemic bonuses, retention bonuses and salary increases are coming their way. And they aren’t optimistic about a time frame. 

After Milbank announced its raises last week, and Davis Polk slightly one-upped Milbank’s scale, several firms have decided to match, although most of the top 20 in the Am Law rankings have abstained for now.