[David]

I think your definition of "nominal" must differ from mine. Because given his two years in the private sector, Velamoor's starting salary as a federal clerk would've been about $70,000.

Obviously is--he took a pay cut of around a hundred and fifty grand. Doubt that he would have done that without some side compensation scheme.

[LorenC]

Obviously is--he took a pay cut of around a hundred and fifty grand.

You think a second-year associate was earning $220,000 a year?

Moreover, clerking for a federal judge is a fairly prestigious gig. Maybe he wanted to be able to put that on his resume. Maybe he didn't like working for Perkins Coie. Maybe he hopes to use this as a stepping-stone to a higher clerkship, or into the judiciary himself. There's no shortage of reasons that don't involve him being there as a Perkins Coie agent.