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Law360 (September 10, 2020, 5:22 PM EDT) -- In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, Ropes & Gray LLP is offering an optional deferral year to its incoming associates, giving them the option to participate in a firm-sponsored fellowship or take a year off to do anything they want, the firm confirmed Thursday.
Instead of joining the firm as planned in January, incoming associates can choose to participate in a yearlong fellowship program through the firm for an outside placement in another organization, or take a sabbatical year before starting their legal careers, Ropes & Gray's hiring partner Peter Erichsen told the associates in a memo obtained by Law360 on Wednesday.
"This year has truly been one like no other, and we certainly would understand if its developments [have] prompted a temporary rethinking of your professional priorities," Erichsen said in the memo, explaining that some associates might want to use the time to do public service work or take a break because of the impact caused by the pandemic.
The firm's 169 incoming associates have until Oct. 1 to decide whether they want to take the offer. Those who participate in the fellowship program can choose to work for a nonprofit, public interest organization or approved government entity and will receive a pretax stipend of $80,000 from the firm, the memo said. Those who decide to take the year off will receive a pretax stipend of $38,800, or 20% of their starting base pay.
"The fellowship is completely voluntary," a Ropes & Gray spokesperson said in a statement to Law360. "We recognized that in the current climate, some people might want to switch gears and focus on public service, and the program is designed to help them do that."
The firm is also offering the fellowship to current associates as well as incoming ones, the spokesperson added.
Regardless of when they ultimately start practicing at the firm, all incoming first-years will receive a $10,000 October stipend and will remain eligible for a $10,000 loan from the firm, Ropes & Gray added. Associates who choose to delay their start date are also eligible for health insurance through the firm from Oct. 20, 2020, until their new start date.
As of now, the firm said it has no plans to conduct any furloughs or layoffs.
"The firm is healthy and the business is strong. Our lawyer activity levels are on pace with 2019, which was an outstanding year," the spokesperson said.
--Editing by Alanna Weissman.
For a reprint of this article, please contact reprints@law360.com.
