On October 20–21, the Eligon team gathered in Atlanta for our fourth annual retreat. It was two days to step back from the docket, look honestly at the year, and set the course for 2027.
Four Years, Four Chapters
Managing Partner Amy Hsiao opened by looking back at how far we’ve come. She summed up each year in a single phrase:
- 2023: Drinking from the firehose
- 2024: Stabilizing the plane
- 2025: Effort vs. results
- 2026: Happy, accomplished & proud
“This is the year it came together,” Amy told the team. “I feel happy, accomplished, and proud of what we’ve built and of the people who built it.”
The numbers back her up: 2026 continued to show growth for Eligon.
When We Have a Good Year, We Share
At Eligon, a good year shows up in everyone’s paycheck. This year:
- Our total bonus pool more than doubled from 2025, the largest in firm history.
- 16 team members are receiving a bonus, up from 10 last year. That includes our attorneys and paralegals and also our support staff. At Eligon, bonuses aren’t reserved for the people who bill. Everyone who helps us deliver for clients shares in the results.
- More than 60% of bonus dollars are discretionary, going beyond the formula to recognize contributions that don’t show up in hours alone.
- The average raise for 2027 is 9.3%, our strongest in four years.
No Black Box
Most firms publish only the minimum billable requirement and keep bonus rules private. We do the opposite. Every Eligon team member knows exactly what it takes to keep the job, to earn a bonus, and to earn a “super bonus,” and the higher rate applies to everything over the line. Raises follow a published ladder that ties each person’s score to a rating and a raise range.
The bar is also set for a sustainable life. Large firms typically require 1,900–2,200 billable hours from attorneys, and smaller firms 1,700–1,800. At Eligon, the attorney baseline is 800 hours, and the bonus starts at 1,000. Keeping a job at many firms takes more work than earning a bonus here.
Treated Like a Partner
Pay is only part of it. The benefit our team values most is workday flexibility. You set your own schedule, step out for the vet or the doctor without burning PTO, and never get asked to work weekends. Partners and staff get the same equipment, the same holidays, and the same respect. On top of that come profit sharing and two extra paid weeks off.
We also ask everyone for feedback on how to make working at Eligon better, and we act on it. We’re not a family, but we are a professional family to each other.
Flexibility also asks something of us: ownership and accountability. Everyone owns their work end to end, takes pride in it, and pulls their own weight. That’s the deal, and it’s why the model works.
Our Philosophy: Kind, but Firm & Fair
- If you bring value, you should be rewarded.
- No black box: bonuses and raises should be as objective as possible.
- Everyone is treated like a senior partner.
Our vision: small and specialized.
Special forces, not an army. Our goal has never been to build the largest law firm, only the best team for the work we do.
Fun, Food, and Face Time
The retreat isn’t all slides and numbers. We had fun, and as always, food was an important part of the Eligon retreat — see pictures!!! Our Taipei and Beijing teams held retreats of their own this year. We didn’t fly everyone to Atlanta this time, but the spirit was the same.
This is the time each year when we sit back, reflect, and plan for the year ahead. We have fun and enjoy each other’s company in person, not just through computer screens, and we leave ready to build an even better next year.
Here’s to a year we’re proud of, and to an even better 2027.
Beautiful setting for 2026 Retreat!
Ending the evening around the fire pit. In person, not on a screen.
Our four-legged hosts kept a close eye on things (and on the snacks).
Team building time!
Dessert, conversation, and plenty of laughs on the patio.
Beautiful setting!
Food and ambiance are necessary at an Eligon retreat!
Lunch break between sessions, with the 2026 retreat deck on screen.
Our Taipei team celebrated their own retreat over a Japanese feast.
Sashimi, sushi, grilled meats, and more!
Team dinner – We go fancy sometimes!
Yes, body parts are part of our team building props!
