Illinois › Professional, scientific and technical services › 500 to 999 participants
Form 5500 statement · plan year 1 Jan 2024 to 31 Dec 2024
Sidley Austin LLP Retirement Plan for Partners
Sponsored by Sidley Austin LLP, Chicago, IL
Form 5500 information is as filed by the plan administrator with the Department of Labor and may be amended. Figures reflect the plan year shown, not current balances. Form 5500 contains no individual account balances. Look up the original filing at EFAST2.
Sidley Austin LLP Retirement Plan for Partners is a profit-sharing plan sponsored by Sidley Austin LLP of Chicago, Illinois. For the plan year ending 31 Dec 2024 it reported 964 participants, 573 of them active, and net assets of $435M.
Net assets came to $451,169 per participant, well above the $46,267 median for defined contribution plans with 500 to 999 participants and well above the $73,951 median for defined contribution plans in professional, scientific and technical services. The figure is an average across everyone in the plan, including former employees with small balances; Form 5500 holds no individual account data.
The employer contributed $14.1M during the year, or $24,605 per active participant against a same-size median of $1,934; participants contributed —. Benefits paid out totalled $67.8M.
Schedule C lists 10 service provider organisations paid $5,000 or more, with reported compensation of $326K: $338 per participant, well above the same-size median of $113. Administrative expenses charged to the plan were $160K. Schedule C does not capture every cost: fees netted from fund returns and fees the employer pays directly are outside it.
Across the filings on record, net assets went from $354M in 2009 to $435M in 2024 (up 23%), and participants from 828 to 964 (up 16%).
The independent accountant's opinion on the financial statements was unmodified (unqualified), from an audit whose scope was limited under ERISA section 103(a)(3)(C) to exclude investment information certified by a bank or insurer.
Compared with similar plans
| Measure | This plan | Same size | Same industry | All US DC plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net assets per participant | $451,169 | $46,267 | $73,951 | $53,102 |
| Employer contributions per active participant | $24,605 | $1,934 | $3,219 | $2,175 |
| Schedule C compensation per participant | $338 | $113 | $148 | $123 |
| Schedule C compensation, share of net assets | 0.07% | 0.25% | 0.22% | 0.26% |
| Administrative expenses per participant | $166 | $109 | $140 | $116 |
Peer columns are medians for plan year 2024 across defined contribution plans with 100 or more participants: 500 to 999 participants (10,588 plans), professional, scientific and technical services (9,776) and all US plans (63,460). Fee medians cover plans that report an amount.
Trend by plan year
| Plan year | Participants | Net assets | Per participant | Employer contributions | Participant contributions | Schedule C compensation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 964 | $435M | $451,169 | $14.1M | — | $326K |
| 2023 | 1,005 | $423M | $421,046 | $13.7M | — | $237K |
| 2022 | 975 | $376M | $385,170 | $12.7M | — | $336K |
| 2021 | 945 | $478M | $505,643 | $11.6M | — | $419K |
| 2020 | 912 | $436M | $478,254 | $11.2M | — | $294K |
| 2019 | 911 | $377M | $414,035 | $11.2M | — | $296K |
| 2018 | 898 | $335M | $373,188 | $11.4M | — | $373K |
| 2017 | 898 | $375M | $417,455 | $11.4M | — | $427K |
| 2016 | 952 | $414M | $435,184 | $11.4M | — | $406K |
| 2015 | 943 | $426M | $451,540 | $11.3M | — | $590K |
| 2014 | 919 | $434M | $472,429 | $11.1M | — | $598K |
| 2013 | 918 | $437M | $475,641 | $10.6M | — | $533K |
| 2012 | 888 | $391M | $440,159 | $10.0M | — | $452K |
| 2011 | 865 | $366M | $423,123 | $9.6M | — | $7,000 |
| 2010 | 842 | $383M | $454,647 | $9.3M | — | $372K |
| 2009 | 828 | $354M | $426,977 | $10.3M | — | $0 |
Years in which the plan filed the full Form 5500 with 100 or more participants, from 2009. Plan year is the year in which the plan year began.
Statement for the year
- Net assets, beginning of year$423,151,030
- Employer contributions$14,098,851
- Participant contributions—
- Rollovers and other contributions—
- Total contributions$14,098,851
- Total income, including investment results$79,709,458
- Benefits paid$67,773,690
- Administrative expenses$159,835
- Total expenses$67,933,525
- Net income$11,775,933
- Net transfers$0
- Net assets, end of year$434,926,963
Participants
- Active participants573
- Retired or separated, receiving benefits0
- Retired or separated, entitled to future benefits390
- Participants with account balances960
- Total participants, end of year964
Fees and service providers
| Organisation | Services reported | Direct | Indirect |
|---|---|---|---|
| At Investment Advisers Inc. | Investment advisory (participants) | $108,781 | $0 |
| Cambridge Associates LLC | Investment advisory (plan) | $50,673 | $0 |
| KPMG LLP | Accounting (including auditing) | $44,400 | $0 |
| Schwab Retirement Plan Services Inc. | Recordkeeping and information management | $38,798 | $0 |
| William Blair Investment MGMT | Investment advisory (participants) | $29,484 | $0 |
| Mercer Investment Consulting Inc. | Investment advisory (plan) | $21,851 | $0 |
| Cerity Partners LLC | Investment advisory (participants) | $12,336 | $0 |
| Howard Capital Management Inc. | Investment advisory (participants) | $9,534 | $0 |
| Composition Wealth LLC | Investment advisory (participants) | $7,769 | $0 |
| Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. | Securities brokerage | $2,205 | $0 |
Schedule C, Part I line 2: providers that received $5,000 or more, with the form's own service codes. Individuals named on Schedule C (plan employees, individual trustees) are never shown and their compensation is excluded. Eligible indirect compensation disclosed by formula carries no dollar amount. See how to read Schedule C fees.
Administrative expenses on Schedule H
- Investment advisory and management fees$72,524
- IQPA audit fees$44,400
- Recordkeeping fees$38,798
- Other administrative expenses$4,113
- Total administrative expenses$159,835
Investment structure
Assets at year end by Schedule H category. The form shows the kind of vehicle holding the money, not the funds on the menu.
- Master trust investment accounts$435M · 99.9%
- Receivables$282K · 0.1%
Audit and compliance answers, as filed
- Accountant's opinionUnmodified (unqualified)
- Audit scope limited under ERISA section 103(a)(3)(C)Yes
- Accounting firmKPMG LLP
- Participant contributions reported as transmitted lateNo
- Covered by a fidelity bondYes, $500,000
- Blackout period during the yearNo
These are the plan administrator's own answers on Schedule H, Part IV. A reported late transmittal is the filer's disclosure of a timing lapse, usually corrected through the Department of Labor's voluntary program; the amount is the total involved, not a loss.
Plan characteristics
2AAge/service weighted or new comparability or similar plan2EProfit-sharing plan2FERISA section 404(c) plan2GTotal participant-directed account plan2RParticipant-directed brokerage accounts provided as an investment option under the plan2TTotal or partial participant-directed account plan with a default investment account3BPlan covering self-employed individuals3FPlan sponsor(s) received services of leased employees3HPlan sponsor(s) is (are) a member(s) of a controlled group
Codes entered on Form 5500 line 8a, with the labels from the official instructions. Business code 541110: Offices of Lawyers.
Other plans of Sidley Austin LLP
| Plan | Participants | Net assets |
|---|---|---|
| Sidley Austin LLP Savings and Investment Plan | 6,029 | $1.93B |
| Sidley Austin LLP Retirement Plan | 2,842 | $349M |
| Sidley Austin LLP Ret Plan for Secretarial Staff | 764 | $175M |
| Sidley Austin LLP Cash Balance Retirement Plan for Partners | 691 | $606M |
Similar plans in Illinois
| Plan | Sponsor | Participants | Net assets | Per participant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baker & McKenzie Illinois Profit Sharing Plan II | Baker & McKenzie LLP | 987 | $131M | $132,678 |
| Bounteous, Inc. 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan | Bounteous, Inc. | 927 | $67.2M | $72,543 |
| Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP Retirement Savings and 401(k) Plan | Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP | 990 | $371M | $375,054 |
| Amsive LLC 401(k) Plan | Amsive, LLC | 879 | $65.8M | $74,805 |
| Basis Global Technologies, Inc. 401(k) Savings Plan | Basis Global Technologies, Inc. | 1,038 | $124M | $119,914 |
| Power Wellness Management, LLC 401(k) Plan | Power Wellness Management, LLC | 862 | $23.9M | $27,740 |
Defined contribution plans in professional, scientific and technical services closest in size.
Questions and answers
How big is Sidley Austin LLP Retirement Plan for Partners?
964 participants at the end of the plan year ending 31 Dec 2024, of whom 573 were active employees, with net assets of $434,926,963. Among defined contribution plans that places it in the 500 to 999 participants band, which held 10,588 plans in plan year 2024.
What does Sidley Austin LLP contribute per participant?
The filing reports $14,098,851 in employer contributions for the year, which is $24,605 per active participant; the median for plans of the same type and size was $1,934 in plan year 2024. Form 5500 reports the total only. It does not state the match formula, and the per-participant figure is an average, not any one person's contribution.
What fees does the plan pay and how do they compare?
Schedule C reports $325,831 in compensation to service provider organisations, $338 per participant or 0.07% of net assets. The same-size median among plans reporting any Schedule C compensation was $113 per participant. Administrative expenses on Schedule H were $159,835. Investment costs deducted inside mutual funds and other pooled vehicles are not itemised on Form 5500, so these figures are a floor rather than a full cost.
Who runs the plan?
The sponsor is Sidley Austin LLP. Recordkeeping or administration: Schwab Retirement Plan Services Inc.. Investment advisory or management: At Investment Advisers Inc., Cambridge Associates LLC and William Blair Investment MGMT. The financial statements were audited by KPMG LLP. Form 5500 also names the plan administrator's signer and other individuals; this site publishes organisations only.
Was the audit opinion unqualified?
The filing reports an unmodified (unqualified) opinion from a limited-scope audit, in which the accountant did not audit investment information certified by a bank or insurance company. Unmodified (formerly "unqualified") is the standard clean opinion.
How current is this, and does it show my balance?
This is the Form 5500 for the plan year 1 Jan 2024 to 31 Dec 2024, received by the Department of Labor on 13 Oct 2025. Filings are due seven months after the plan year ends, or nine and a half with an extension, so the public record always runs a year or more behind. It contains plan-level totals only: no individual balances, contributions or names of participants exist in the data.
Provenance
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Form 5500 research files (Form 5500, Schedule H, Schedule C) for plan years 2009 to 2025, public domain, with filings received through 24 Aug 2026. This page shows the latest filing on record for EIN 36-4474078, plan 004, received 13 Oct 2025; an amended filing replaces it at the next build. Medians and percentiles are computed by this site; see the methodology. Report an error through corrections.