For three years, former Nixon Peabody associate Noah Doolittle had his eyes on a bonus for bringing in and servicing a client for the firm.

The bonus, according to Mr. Doolittle, would be worth 5 percent of the $5.32 million in fees the law firm collected from the client in 2008. By his own account, Mr. Doolittle would be in line for a $266,000 bonus.