// The stand-off between Milbank and the firms that have adopted its new salary scale and the rest of the market sitting around waiting continues. This was all so easy when everyone just played follow the leader with Cravath, but now the legal landscape drags out these salary debates like the end of a Morricone film with every day another tension-building close-up.

Kirkland associates thought the wait was over this morning when they got a firmwide email from the Firm Committee. Alas, it was not to be, with the firm just telling everybody when to commence hybrid work.

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Beginning Tuesday, March 29, we will move to a hybrid workplace model where attorneys and staff will be expected to be present in the office on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

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With associates waiting anxiously to hear about their salary situation, it’s not the best time to send an all-hands email announcing anything other than a salary boost. If you need an example of why, consider that the firm is moving forward with a three-day in-office model and associates are, as one tipster put it bluntly, “displeased.” Imagine telling lawyers in the Fall of 2019 that they could work from home on Mondays and Fridays and associates being anything but deliriously overjoyed?

But it doesn’t matter how generally good the news is, when associates are mentally paying off their loans, nothing matters but the money.

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Why is this so difficult for firms to understand? We covered this back in December when Latham decided to announce gift baskets before bonuses. The same principle applies: the only firm management subject on the table right now is money, so don’t blast them about anything but money.

A few firms have caught a little side-eye for sending “no raises now… but we’ll match whenever the dust clears” memos, but as far as I’m concerned these are the firms that GET IT. Until the firm settles the money situation — even if they settle it by not settling it — there’s no way to address any firm business without coming across as out of touch and a little insulting.

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No one really thinks Kirkland is poised to stiff associates. They’ll ultimately make good on salary and then almost certainly offer a bit of a premium on bonuses (some years it’s more of “a bit” than others), but what’s the value in gliding by the 900-lb. money-flinging gorilla?

All it does is irritate people unnecessarily.

Earlier: Latham Still Hasn’t Announced Bonuses But Has Offered Associates A Gift Basket!!!

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Joe Patrice is a senior editor at Above the Law and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. Feel free to email any tips, questions, or comments. Follow him on Twitter if you’re interested in law, politics, and a healthy dose of college sports news. Joe also serves as a Managing Director at RPN Executive Search.

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2022 Associate Salary Increase, Biglaw, Kirkland, Law Firm Reopenings