This is the most incorrect creepy thread started by someone with motive best known to him/her. The Firm’s name is IC RegFin Legal and it very well year after year continues to pay good bonuses including a surprising top up 2.5 months bonus reserved from its 10% equity profits to its professionals (whoever has spent 1.5 yrs with the firm). Just that its being paid separately this year in July instead of being paid alongwith the performance bonus payout done in march. So rather than this unpaid esop model being applauded, someone may still choose to somehow deny it and start rumours..but facts dont change. Let someone doing a decent job continue to do that despite may be having many flaws.

Paying bonus in 2 tranches one in march and the second in july is possibly better than most of the firms do particularly when the quantum is so high and the realisations are delayed thanks to market conditions. Someone leaving immediately after march may get deprived of the second tranche but whether its fair or unfair depends upon how one is looking at it. Share from equity profit gets distributed on realisations which do not finish by march.

How is an employee’s decision to leave before July a valid ground to deny payment of a past loyalty bonus that was earned for 1.5 years of service, especially when the employee stayed through significant structural changes?

What also appears not “decent” is that the firm announced, barely 2–3 days before the scheduled payout , that loyalty bonus payments and appraisals would be deferred till June, citing geopolitical uncertainty and delayed client payments, with an assurance of “better appraisals later.” Subsequent firm-wide appraisals, however, are reportedly well below market standards.

Further, the firm is now declining to pay loyalty bonuses for the completed past period on the rationale that loyalty bonuses are payable only to employees who will continue in the future. This is despite the firm having explicitly communicated that the loyalty bonus would be payable to employees completing 1.5 years as of March 31, 2026.

The bonus was neither paid on March 31, 2026 nor communicated as deferred until less than a week prior to the due date, and is now being denied altogether to employees exiting in the current quarter. This raises questions on whether such a reversal of an assured, time-bound payout “sounds decent”.

It was never 2.5 months but 10% of equity pool which is being burdened and unlikely that 10% will meet 2.5 months requirement next year. Either firm will start firing people right before payout is made or the number will go down.

Also, other Good firms do not cap bonuses and it can go way above what is being offered.

An additional bonus of 2.5 months’ over and above March’s already paid performance bonus has been confirmed to be paid along-with July salary. Everyone in the firm knows that. This additional bonus which is a result of firm’s 10% equity profit pool reserved for employees has been yearly paid for ages and is a permanent feature resulting in high annual bonuses. Surprising to see how someone is trying to make a story out of it when none exists. Its a good thing being done and should be followed by all law firms.