Salaries at DLA Piper are based on a set lock-step system.  Salaries at most U.S. offices match the standard scale for peer New York firms, but salaries in the Atlanta, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Raleigh, Sacramento, Seattle, and Tampa offices are set on a slightly lower scale.  The firm initially instituted a pay freeze for 2009 and then later announced salary cuts of 10% for all associates.  The firm has also announced its intention to move away from lock-step compensation entirely in the future.  Associates must bill a minimum of 2,000 hours to qualify for a bonus, and Lateral Link Members report that firm is generally a follower when it comes to setting bonus amounts.  Despite the recession, the firm has announced that it will be paying bonuses for the 2009 billing year, although the final amount will not be determined until January 2010.

Lateral Link Members agree that training at DLA Piper is "well structured," "helpful," and "frequent."  In addition to new-associate, first-year skills training and practice group training, the firm has established the Marbury Institute, a formal comprehensive training and speaker program.  The firm recently instituted a benchmarks program to more clearly articulate expectations throughout associates' careers.  The firm also provides up to three associates each year with tuition reimbursement for an M.B.A. or other advanced degree through its Harry L. Rudnick Business Scholarship Program.  Outside of formal training, Lateral Link Members report that associate development is up to individual associates and that while the firm "[tries] to be good with associate development...work [often] gets in the way." There are no formal rotations at the firm, and some Lateral Link Members bemoan the lack of flexibility in the firm's staffing practices, saying associates can "get stuck with one partner doing one type of work, and you can't change what you work on."  In February 2009, the firm laid off 80 associates and 100 staff in its U.S. offices, as well as over 100 employees in its U.K. offices, and in July 2009, the firm laid off an additional 21 attorneys and 100 staff.  Lateral Link Members report that morale at the firm is down, as "general unease predominates" and "a ton of uncertainty [hangs] in the air." 

The firm expects associates to bill a minimum of 2,000 hours, which includes up to 100 pro bono hours (and sometimes more, subject to approval).  Lateral Link Members say the consequences of not reaching the this minimum depends on how far an associate misses the mark, with associates who bill at least 1,800 hours likely not to feel any repercussions other than an "increase in...stress level[s]," while those who bill below 1,800 may be held back a year and those who bill below 1,700 may be in danger of termination.   Another Lateral Link Member cautions that these numbers are just estimates, saying that "there is [not] a great deal of clarity concerning when an associate is in the 'danger zone'...[since] the firm does not want to establish an absolute floor for fear that associates would then only aim" at the bare minimum.

The consensus of Lateral Link Members is that face time is "officially not required but unofficially encouraged" and that associates are expected to be around during normal working hours, "especially in...slow times."  Lateral Link Members report that they generally take between one and three weeks of vacation annually.  However, more than one Member admits to having to cut a vacation short and say they feel like partners "look down" on them for taking vacation.  While it is uncommon to work on holidays, Lateral Link Members say that they are expected to be available and to work on weekends often, although many try to do so from home.

In addition to traditional pro bono work with external organizations, DLA piper has several in-house signature pro bono projects focusing on adoption, special education, and Katrina rebuilding.  The firm also has a subsidiary international pro bono practice, New Perimeter, which Lateral Link Members report is a "great...program" with "very interesting" projects, but also warn that the program is "very difficult to get selected" for.  The firm will credit associates for up to 100 hours of pro bono time for billables and bonuses, and after an associate reaches the 2,000-hour mark, all additional pro bono hours will be credited.  Additionally, one Lateral Link Member reports that work on the firm's "signature pro bono projects count[s] as billable" work.  The firm encourages associates to perform 100 hours of pro bono work, and 95% of associates perform at least 20 hours of pro bono service annually. 

DLA Piper offers two partnership tracks, non-capital and capital, averaging eight and twelve years, respectively.  Although Lateral Link Members bemoan the fact it "takes a long time to make partner," they report that senior associates who are passed over for partner are allowed to remain at the firm and are reconsidered the following year.

Benefits at DLA Piper include in-house cafeterias in some offices, firm-wide retreats, discounted gym memberships, discounted pet insurance, dinners and car service if working late in the evening, free cell phones, hybrid vehicle subsidy, and massage reimbursement.  New associates receive a bar stipend/signing bonus that varies by office, with associates in California offices receiving $15,000, Chicago associates receiving $7,500, and Seattle associates receiving $12,000.  Associates in the New York office are entitled to a $10,000 salary advance.

Summer associates at DLA Piper are expected to complete an average of 10 assignments in various practice areas, and Lateral Link Members speak highly of the "constructive feedback" they received "at every opportunity." Training sessions are held weekly and include a special "writing seminar" for summer associates. Although the firm shortened its 2009 summer program to eight weeks, it still held an annual summer retreat in San Diego, which Lateral Link Members call the "perfect mix of work, play, and team-building activities." The firm offers several split-summer options to its summer associates, from a two-week program for up to 10 summer associates in overseas offices to a two-week public interest fellowship for three New York summer associates to a partnership with a major consulting firm, allowing a few associates to work in-house at the consulting firm. Lateral Link Members also note that the firm was "open and honest" with summer associates "at every juncture of the law firm strategy in this economic climate." Although the firm provides summer associates with BlackBerrys, Lateral Link Members in the firm's summer program agree that face time is important and say they were generally expected to be in the office until 6:00 p.m. The firm is very conscious of diversity when selecting its summer associate classes; over 45% of the past two summer classes were diverse law students. In 2008, the firm hired seven first-year associates from the University of Washington, more than from any other law school. Lateral Link Members report attending three to five attorney lunches each week, in addition to two or three after-work events. Some Lateral Link Members praise the firm for providing a "balance" of "social events with social justice ones," such as volunteering in a food shelter and with Habitat for Humanity, but other Members warn that "unathletic" or "vegetarian" types might not fully enjoy the social calendar of golf, go-kart racing, and cooking lessons.  DLA Piper made offers to 86% of its 2009 summer associate class.  However, the firm has deferred the start date for the newest class of new associates to January 2010 and delayed the start date for the 2009 summer associate class to January 2011. The firm is further encouraging new associates to secure a pro bono or community fellowship for up to one year, thereby delaying their start date until January 2011, for which the firm will compensate them $5,000 per month, as well as encouraging 2009 summer associates to defer until January 2012. The firm has made the fellowship option voluntary for now but has specifically reserved the right to offer a fellowship assignment in lieu of a new associate position.