JD Journal » lay off associates

Akerman Senterfitt Cuts 5 Associates

Erik Even — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 21:06:51 +0000

Florida’s Akerman Senterfitt, which in July announced a 10% cut in associate salaries, has laid off five associates.

Two of the five let go are first-years.

Akerman Senterfitt was founded in 1920, and has grown to become one of the largest law firms in the United States. In 2008, the National Law Journal ranked the firm as 92nd largest in the US by number of attorneys, and the second-largest Florida-based firm.

The firm employs 500 lawyers across offices in Los Angeles, Denver, Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando, Tampa, Tallahassee, West Palm Beach, New York City, Washington DC; Tyson’s Corner, Virginia; and Madison, Wisconsin.

WilmerHale Asks Lawyers to Please Go Away Soon

Erik Even — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 21:08:53 +0000

WilmerHale has informed an undisclosed number of associates and counsel that they will lose their jobs this Fall. The firm stresses that these are not “layoffs,” although rational persons are hard-pressed to tell the difference.

Those affected are being given “a number of months” to find new jobs. The cuts are the result of a new “up or out” program. If a lawyer is not promoted within a certain time frame, he or she is asked to leave the firm.

In April, WilmerHale deferred start dates for its 2009 associate class.

Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr LLP has twelve offices across the US, Europe and Asia. It was created in 2004 through the merger of the Boston’s Hale & Dorr and the Washington’s Wilmer Cutler & Pickering, and employs more than 1,100 attorneys worldwide. As of 2008, it was the 23rd largest law firm in the world in terms of revenue. In 2007, the National Law Journal ranked the firm as the 22nd largest in the United States by number of attorneys.

Clifford Chance to Lay Off New York Litigation Associates

Erik Even — Fri, 29 May 2009 16:31:44 +0000

Mark Kirsch, head of Clifford Chance’s US litigation practice, has left the firm, leaving the 29 associates in the firm’s New York litigation group under threat of layoffs.

The group and its associated staffers have been informed that layoffs are coming, but no numbers have been revealed.

Kirsch will be replaced in his position by Juan Morillo.

In March, Clifford Chance today laid off 24 of its New York associates.

Clifford Chance LLP is the largest law firm in the world, both by number of lawyers and revenue, and part of the UK’s “Magic Circle” of leading law firms. It is a prestigious international practice with its principal office in London.

Simmons & Simmons Lays Off 91

Erik Even — Fri, 15 May 2009 18:40:21 +0000

In February we reported on a redundancy consultation at Simmons & Simmons, which targeted 69 people — 20 associates and 49 support staffers.

This week the consultation ended, and 73 people have lost their jobs, including 18 associates. In addition, the firm has cut 18 business development and marketing personnel.

If you have any additional details on these layoffs, please send us a confidential tip!

London’s Simmons & Simmons is a leading international law firm with over 2,000 employees, and 20 offices located throughout Europe, the Middle East and Asia.