JD Journal » outplacement counseling

Watson Burton Finds Work for Trainees

Erik Even — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 16:45:24 +0000

Commercial law firm Watson Burton has offered a job to only one or two of its eight qualifying trainees, according to blawgs.

However, the firm has helped all but one of those trainees find alternate employment. For instance, one will join a client of the firm, and another has been hired by a local accountant.

In March, Watson Burton launched a redundancy consultation targeting 25% of its staff.

Founded in 1811, Watson Burton is a leading law firm providing legal services to industry, commerce, public sector and private individuals, with offices in Newcastle, Leeds and London, United Kingdom.

Bradley Arant Cuts 35 Staff

Erik Even — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 17:53:18 +0000

Birmingham, Alabama’s Bradley Arant has laid off 35 staff. Attorneys were not affected.

The firm is also eliminating duplicate positions created by its recent merger with Nashville’s Boult Cummings Conners & Berry.

Those laid off will get outplacement support.

Tracing its roots to 1871, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP has more than 350 attorneys in seven offices, and is the largest law firm headquartered in Alabama and one of the largest in the South.

Mallesons to Cut 100 Lawyers, Staff

Erik Even — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 15:58:07 +0000

Commercial law firm Mallesons will begin a redundancy consultation in August, targeting 5% of the firm’s workforce.

The redundancies are being characterized as voluntary, and will affect 100 lawyers and staff. Some lawyers will be offered more than one year’s pay.

The offers are to include a payment based on years of service, an additional stipend, and outplacement.

Founded in 1832, Mallesons Stephen Jaques is a commercial law firm that operates in the Asia-Pacific region. In Australia, and throughout the Asia-Pacific region generally, it is considered one of the top commercial law firms. It has offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, Canberra, Hong Kong, Beijing, London, Shanghai and Papua New Guinea.

Taylor Wessing to Cut Half of Trainees

Erik Even — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:25:57 +0000

Like Dentons before it, Taylor Wessing will only hire half of their trainees.

Thirteen of its 24 2009 trainees will be kept on in September.

The firm is offering training and networking opportunities to those not hired.

Taylor Wessing LLP is an international law firm established in 2002, following the merger of UK law firm Taylor Joynson Garrett and German law firm Wessing. It has 13 offices around the globe; Berlin, Brussels, Cambridge, Dubai, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, London, Munich and Paris; and representative offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Alicante. Taylor Wessing employs 750 attorneys.

Shipman & Goodwin Defers Associates

Erik Even — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 16:38:46 +0000

Connecticut’s Shipman & Goodwin, which cut 26 jobs in April, is deferring three of its eight incoming associates.

The three associates joining its Hartford office will start in Fall 2010. The others will begin on time this Fall.

The firm is working on placement opportunities for the deferred associates.

Founded in 1919, Shipman & Goodwin has 335 employees, including 135 lawyers. In Hartford, the firm has 100 lawyers and about 150 support staff. Its other offices are in Stamford, Greenwich and Lakeville.

Mayer Brown Finds Work for Laid Off Associates

Erik Even — Thu, 28 May 2009 23:23:52 +0000

When Mayer Brown laid off 45 lawyers and 90 staff in April, it promised “placement opportunities with pro bono organizations and corporate legal departments for some associates.”

The firm has come through on its promise for nine former associates, who have been placed in year-long, in-house jobs at seven Mayer Brown corporate clients. The law firm will pay the lawyers a $60,000 salary plus benefits.

The firm also placed five laid-off associates at public interest organizations.

Mayer Brown is one of the largest global law firms both by number of lawyers and revenue. The firm has over 1,800 lawyers in key business centers across the Americas, Asia and Europe

Day Pitney Lays Off 20 Lawyers, Defers Associates

Erik Even — Tue, 12 May 2009 23:12:33 +0000

Day Pitney, which laid off 66 staff members across it offices in February, today announced that 20 lawyers have been laid off, and incoming associates will be deferred to January 2010.

From the memo:

Earlier today, we met with 20 associates and counsel to notify them that their positions are being eliminated. The reductions are spread throughout our offices and practice areas… Each person has been offered a severance package that includes outplacement services…

…we have moved the start date for our incoming associates to January 5, 2010. We will be providing each member of our incoming class a weekly stipend from September 15 through December 31, 2009 and are encouraging each of them to participate in available public interest opportunities.

The amount of the deferral stipend has not been announced.

Headquartered in Hartford, Connecticut and Florham Park, New Jersey, Day Pitney employs 382 attorneys spread across nine offices in four states and the District of Columbia. In 2007, Day Pitney ranked 113th on the National Law Journal’s list of the 250 largest American law firms.

Schulte Roth & Zabel Lays Off 20 Lawyers; Defers Start Dates

Erik Even — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 18:50:31 +0000

Late last year, New York City’s Schulte Roth & Zabel laid off 30 lawyers.

This week the firm asked 20 attorneys to update their CVs. The layoffs affected the corporate, real estate, and litigation practices.

Those asked to leave have been given two months notice, and will get outplacement assistance.

The firm has also shortened its 2009 summer program to 8 weeks, and has deferred start dates for incoming associates to January, 2010. There is a $20,000 stipend, and some associates will be offered a public interest deferral that pays $75,000.

Schulte Roth & Zabel is one of the top 100 largest law firms by revenue. The firm was founded in New York City in 1969 and launched in London in 2002. The firm also has an office in Washington, DC. Schulte employs nearly 450 attorneys in its three offices.

Howrey Lays Off 25 Staff

Erik Even — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 18:46:21 +0000

Washington DC’s Howrey has laid off 25 secretarial staffers.

Cuts came in all offices except Palo Alto and New York. Those affected are getting severance packages, health care assistance and outplacement.

In addition, Howrey is demanding that non-equity partners contribute capital; and all partners, equity and non-equity, will be able to contribute voluntary capital, and some have already agreed to do so. The firm’s press release hints that these “voluntary” contributions may not be so voluntary.

Additionally, all partners, Equity and Non-Equity, will now able to contribute voluntary capital and several have already agreed to do so. All these are signs of their commitment and dedication to the Firm and its plans for growth.

Huh. Better cut that check.

Howrey LLP was founded as Howrey, Simon, Baker, & Murchison in 1956, and was the first national anti-trust law firm. It has more than 700 attorneys in 17 locations worldwide.

Maclay Murray Laying Off 38 Lawyers & Staff

Erik Even — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 18:00:33 +0000

Maclay, Murray & Spens, one of the “big four” Scottish law firms, will cut 6% of its workforce, including some lawyers.

CEO Magnus Swanson says 38 positions will be made redundant, out of a total 579.

Those let go will get an “enhanced” severance package, including outplacement services.

The firm has offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, Aberdeen and Brussels.

Townsend and Townsend Lays Off 16 Lawyers, 45 Staff

Erik Even — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 16:11:22 +0000

San Francisco-based intellectual property firm Townsend and Townsend and Crew has laid off 16 attorneys, 45 staff.

From the memo:

…Townsend today has joined so many other AmLaw 200 firms and implemented a reduction in force. This is the most painful decision any of us has ever had to make at this firm…

As a result, today we have informed sixteen attorneys and forty-five members of our staff that their positions are being eliminated. Individuals in all seven of our U.S. offices are included. All have been offered severance benefits and outplacement services…

Townsend and Townsend and Crew has offices in San Francisco, Walnut Creek, Palo Alto, and San Diego, California; Denver, Seattle, Washington DC and Tokyo.

Update: Akin Gump Cuts 47 Associates, 57 Staff

Erik Even — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 00:03:52 +0000

Once again, the rumors are true.

Akin Gump is laying off 47 associates and 57 paralegals and staff.

The firm will be offering “comprehensive severance packages,” including outplacement services.

In January, Akin Gump laid off 65 staff members in its US offices.

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP was founded in Dallas in 1945 by Robert Strauss and Richard Gump. The firm now numbers more than 900 attorneys and advisors in the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Parker Poe Axes 28 Attorneys, Staffers

Erik Even — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 23:08:38 +0000

Charlotte, North Carolina’s Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein, a 225-attorney firm, has axed 13 attorneys and 15 staffers.

Managing partner William P. Farthing Jr. said the reductions were in various offices, and that all 28 affected employees will receive severance packages, outplacement counseling and 2008 bonuses.

The layoffs represent 5% of the firm’s workforce. With the layoffs, the firm now has the identical number of attorneys and staff it had at the start of 2008.

Parker Poe also has offices in Raleigh and in Charleston, Columbia, Myrtle Beach and Spartanburg, South Carolina. Founded in 1884, the firm expanded rapidly during the past five years, growing from 150 attorneys to 227 and opening offices throughout South Carolina.