The firm follows a set lock-step system for salaries and bonuses and, to date, has not instituted a pay freeze.  Lateral Link Members say Debevoise is a follower in terms of bonus amounts.  In 2008, the firm awarded market, a.k.a. half-Skadden, bonuses.

Lateral Link Members offer praise for training opportunities at Debevoise, saying "the firm puts a lot of effort and resources into associate development," including "advising groups" in the "corporate department, where we are organized in teams."  One Lateral Link Member explains that the firm's rotation system encourages informal mentoring since "the partners [and] senior lawyers [work] with junior associates for at least a year" and therefore "have an incentive to train them properly."  Within departments, a staffing attorney or manager assigns projects to associates.  Lateral Link Members report that morale at the firm is "generally good."  Thus far, the firm has avoided layoffs and a salary freeze.

The firm has no official minimum billable hours requirement, but Lateral Link Members report the expectation is that associates bill between 1,800 and 2,050 hours.

Debevoise offers its associates four weeks of vacation time, which automatically rolls over.  Lateral Link Members concur that most associates take full advantage of their vacation and that it is generally respected by partners.  There is little pressure to put in face time, with one Lateral Link Member explaining, "As long as you get your work done, face time is not important."

Lateral Link Members say the firm has a "great commitment to pro bono" and "strongly encourages" its associates to participate in pro bono projects.  One Lateral Link Member notes that he even "worked on a pro bono trial to the exclusion of billable work for at least two to three months."  Debevoise has ranked first among New York City law firms in The American Lawyer's Am Law 100 pro bono survey for nine of the past ten years, and in the top 10 nationally for ten years running.  There is no limit on the number of pro bono hours associates are permitted to work on, and pro bono hours are fully credited towards billables and bonuses. 

Debevoise has one partnership track, with an average of seven to nine years before becoming eligible for partnership.  Lateral Link Members say that "Debevoise tries to do better with women associates and associates of color in terms of partnership prospects," but they note that "some such associates...self-select out of the partnership process."

Benefits for associates at Debevoise include a $10,000 salary advance for new associates, emergency childcare, an in-house cafeteria, a reduced-rate gym membership, a client development allowance, and a $2,000 technology stipend.

Although Lateral Link Members advise that the 12-week summer program at Debevoise is no "summer camp" and say that summer associates are expected to do "real work" and handle "real responsibility," they say the reward is that "people will value your hard work and contributions." The firm has summer associate programs in its New York and Washington, DC, offices and offers summer associates the opportunity to spend several weeks in one of the firm's international offices. Despite the downturn in the economy, Debevoise increased the size of its summer associate class to 104 in 2009, up from just 68 in 2008 (and keeping pace with its class of 103 in 2007). Summer associates are assigned work by a summer coordinator; there is no formal assignment rotation, and summer associates are encouraged to work on projects in the practice areas of most interest to them, although one Lateral Link Member notes that during the 2009 summer, "there was not a lot of opportunity to try corporate work." Trainings for summer associates are held once or twice a week, and the firm provides summer associates with BlackBerrys. Lateral Link Members advise that summer associates are still expected to be in the office during normal working hours, which generally end around 6:30 p.m. According to Lateral Link Members in the summer program, it is not common to work on weekends, but when it does happen, it is usually only for part of the weekend. Summer associates can attend an unlimited number of attorney lunches and are treated to two to three outside social events each week as well, ranging from happy hours to Shakespeare in the Park to a party at the Central Zoo.