Lawyers who chose to stay with local firms could be in for a pleasant surprise when bonuses are handed out, according to one senior recruitment agent.  Singapore’s top firms started to close the remuneration gap between local and international firms by front loading salaries instead of promising a certain bonus level this year -but the bonus is not set in stone and Jasmine Sim, legal consultant with Robert Walters in Singapore has heard from clients that some are planning to offer bonuses in excess of what has been promised to employees.

While front loading – typically adding between 20 and 40% to a lawyer’s base salary-is technically moving part of the bonus payment for the year forward, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the bonus at the end of the year will be the full 20-40% smaller if the firm’s practice group has performed well. Sim said that while bonuses are typically equal to between three and six months pay, she has seen partners who are deciding to offer as much as 50% more if the performance by the team and conditions warrant it. “We have definitely noticed that partners are willing to throw down as much as 9-12 months pay, even after frontloading is taken into account,” she said.

While that may be the situation for some, it would be unwise for lawyers with local firms to spend any bonus early according to Jamie Newbold, consultant for both in-house and private practice at Taylor Root. He agreed that by now most major firms are front loading candidates’ salaries, but said it was too early to tell whether the bonuses received are going to be higher. In most cases where he has heard about front loading he’s been asked to make it clear to candidates that their yearend bonus will be reduced accordingly.