Here’s a sampling of prominent firms that have announced a smaller partnership class this year compared to last year: Cleary Gottlieb, Latham & Watkins, Ropes & Gray, Proskauer Rose, Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz, Skadden Arps, Davis Polk, Paul Hastings, Gibson Dunn, Mayer Brown, Kirkland & Ellis. The list of firms bucking the trend is much smaller and those that have promoted larger classes have promoted only marginally more partners while some of the firms with smaller classes have cut promotions by as much as half. Fried Frank for example promoted seven new partners, up from five the previous year, but did so in a year where its total number of attorneys shrank by 26%.

• 23 New Partners at Latham & Watkins
• Morning Roundup
• ‘Not Guilty’ is the Plea of Former Kirkland & Ellis Partner in Tax Fraud Case
• Paul Hastings Adds Biotech Litigation Team
• Latham Adds Laterals in D.C., Houston

Although this years class is smaller than the 30 promoted last year, it’s one of the largest classes we’ve seen so far this year. Only Kirkland & Ellis, who promoted 51 to partner in October, has had a larger partner class so far this year.

Latham & Watkins LLP is one of the largest law firms in the world, employing around 1,500 attorneys in the US, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The firm was started in Los Angeles in 1934 and has extensive California roots, but its largest office is now in New York City.

• Firms Tighten up in Partnership Promotions
• Thompson Hine Elects 13 Partners
• Barnes & Thornburg Opening in LA with Laterals from Akin Gump
• Dickstein Shapiro Adds Four in LA
• Paul Hastings Adds Biotech Litigation Team

An army reservist has won his summary judgement against SUBWAY…

Ropes & Gray is opening a London office soon…

WilmerHale laid off some of its staff…

and there is a new class of partners at Sullivan & Cromwell…

• Morning Roundup
• Morning Roundup
• Morning Roundup
• Morning Roundup
• Morning Roundup