Schulte Roth Laid Off Up to 30 Associates

Erik Even — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 17:07:21 +0000

Above the Law reports that late last year, Schulte Roth let go up to 30 associates.

We’ve been receiving reports of layoffs at Schulte Roth & Zabel since last summer, but were unable to confirm them until now. These days, it can be difficult to differentiate between “performance-based layoffs” and “economically-motivated layoffs.”

Schulte’s spokespeople say all layoffs in 2008 were performance-based. They deny any recent layoffs in their office, saying that any departures in 2009 have been voluntary. Between 20 to 30 associates left in the fall; “approximately” 20 of them were let go for performance-based reasons after their reviews in November. The others were supposedly voluntary departures…

One of those laid-off from Schulte informs us there was no severance package, though associates were given 2-3 months notice at Thanksgiving, asked to leave at the end of January or the end of February…

…they did not get bonuses or pay raises.

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.

Via ATL.

ATL: Dewey & LeBoeuf Making “Performance Related” Cuts

Erik Even — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 00:58:33 +0000

Tipsters are telling Above the Law that Dewey & LeBoeuf is making performance-related layoffs this week.

As we understand it, legacy LeBoeuf (f/k/a: LeBoeuf Lamb) used to have only annual performance reviews. Legacy Dewey (f/k/a: Dewey Ballantine) had performance reviews twice a year. When the firms merged, the new management committee decided to go with the Dewey system instead of the LeBoeuf system.

Therefore, Dewey & LeBoeuf had performance reviews near the end of last year (which resulted in associate terminations) and are having them now (which is resulting in associate terminations). Obviously, the standards for those performance reviews are a little bit tougher than in previous cycles.

Know something about the layoffs? Send us a confidential tip!

aDewey & LeBoeuf is a white shoe law firm formed in 2007 by the merger of Dewey Ballantine and LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae. The firm has 24 offices in 14 countries.

Via ATL.

JD Journal » performance related layoffs

Schulte Roth Laid Off Up to 30 Associates

ATL: Dewey & LeBoeuf Making “Performance Related” Cuts