JD Journal » sabbaticals

Cadwalader Offering Contract Work for Associates on Sabbatical

Erik Even — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 16:26:29 +0000

Earlier this month, Cadwalader told 34 junior associates they could accept a one year, unrestricted sabbatical. or leave the firm.

Now the firm has announced it is offering the laid off associates jobs with the firm, as contract lawyers. The jobs would pay between $45 and $65 per hour.

In May, Cadwalader was the number one AmLaw 200 firm in layoffs.

Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP is the oldest continuously-operated law firm in the United States. Established in New York City in 1792, Cadwalader is now one of the leading financial law firms in the world. It has offices in London; Charlotte, North Carolina; Washington, DC; and Beijing, China.

Addleshaw Goddard Offers Reduced Hours, Sabbaticals

Erik Even — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 16:55:33 +0000

Addleshaw Goddard, which laid off 19 partners in February and 85 staff in May, has approved new measures to save money on compensation.

Some attorneys will work a four-day week and earn 85% of their normal pay.

The firm is also offering sabbaticals, or extended time off at 30% salary. Salaries have been frozen until 2010.

Addleshaw Goddard has also announced is is keeping on only 75% of its incoming associates, or 33 new lawyers.

Addleshaw Goddard LLP is a UK law firm, with almost 750 lawyers and 1,350 staff, based in Leeds, London and Manchester. It was formed in 2003 by the merger of Addleshaw Booth & Co with Theodore Goddard.

Cadwalader Offers Sabbaticals to 34 Associates

Erik Even — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 19:12:45 +0000

Cadwalader, the AmLaw 200 firm that leads in percentage laid off, has asked 34 junior associates to accept a one year, unrestricted sabbatical.

The sabbaticals target lawyers in the Capital Markets and Real Estate Finance groups in New York and North Carolina. Participating lawyers will get one-third of their current compensation, plus medical benefits.The firm intends to rehire these associates after a year, but no guarantees are being made.

Those who turn down the sabbatical option will get three months full severance.

A committee of partners and senior administrators will attempt to place these lawyers with clients, prospective clients, and not-for-profit organizations.

Addleshaw Goddard Reports 30% Drop in PPP

Erik Even — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:38:20 +0000

Addleshaw Goddard, which cut 19 partners in February and 85 staff in March, saw a 30.8% plummet in partner profits in fiscal 2008; and turnover fell 11.4% to £173.3 million ($285.5 million).

Profits per equity partner nosedived from £586,000 ($958,000) to £405,000 ($663,000).

The firm is considering reduced work hours and unpaid sabbaticals. There is already a salary freeze in effect.

According to The Lawyer, a UK legal newspaper, Addleshaw Goddard was ranked 15th largest law firm in the UK by turnover in 2006.

Pinsent Masons to Hold Redundancy Consultation

Erik Even — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 19:18:35 +0000

Pinsent Masons is holding a redundancy consultation. It has not announced how many positions have been targeted.

The firm employs almost 1,000 lawyers globally, including 275 partners; and 1,600 staff.

Pinsent Masons also plans to implement part-time working arrangements and sabbaticals, and a pay freeze.

Pinsent Masons LLP is a full-service commercial law firm. The firm ranked amongst the top 15 law firms in the UK and internationally ranks in the Global 100. Pinsent Masons has UK offices in Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, London and Manchester, and internationally in Beijing, Brussels, Dubai, Hong Kong and Shanghai.

Wragge & Co Targeting 85 for Redundancy

Erik Even — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 21:28:18 +0000

Top Birmingham, UK law firm Wragge has announced a redundancy consultation, targeting 85 fee earners, support staff and secretaries. It has also implemented a salary freeze.

The firm is also considering four-day weeks, sabbaticals, unpaid leave, job sharing, and other cost-saving schemes.

Wragge’s profits were down 15% from last year, to £104.3 million ($172.6 million).

In September 2008, 24 people left the firm in a combination of voluntary and compulsory redundancies.

Birmingham, UK’s Wragge & Co was founded in 1834 by George Paulson Wragge hand Clement Ingleby. The firm has offices in Brussels, Guangzhou, London and Munich.

Norton Rose to Implement Hour Reductions

Erik Even — Sat, 09 May 2009 18:09:48 +0000

Most offices of London’s Norton Rose have approved a flexible hours scheme first announced in March.

The firm hopes to avoid redundancies by reducing hours. The scheme has been approved by 19 of the firm’s 21 international offices.

Norton Rose is still working to make the plan comply with the law in France and Germany.

London lawyers and staff were informed this week they will be the first affected.

The plan, under which Norton Rose employees, including partners, would choose between a four-day week, a paid sabbatical of four to 12 weeks, or both, is entirely voluntary.

The Norton Rose Group is a leading international law firm. It offers business law services from 21 offices across Europe, the Middle East and Asia. With around 1000 lawyers, its practice specializes in five key areas: corporate finance, financial institutions, energy and infrastructure, transport and technology.

CMS Cameron McKenna to Cut 80, Reduce Pay

Erik Even — Sat, 09 May 2009 18:00:18 +0000

London’s CMS Cameron McKenna has announced a redundancy consultation at its headquarters, targeting 80 jobs.

Twenty fee earners and 60 non-fee earners may be laid off.

Other personnel are being offered the choice of either a four-day week at reduced pay, or a sabbatical of up to 12 weeks at reduced pay. They can also extend their vacation by two weeks.

In addition, some lawyers may choose a six-month sabbatical at cut pay with two 10-week expeditions to developing countries; or a six-month sabbatical at 20% pay to take an executive development course; or a six-month secondment in a CMS alliance firm at 50% of pay, with accommodation and living expenses covered.

CMS Cameron McKenna LLP is City of London-based international law firm with over 130 partners, and offices throughout the United Kingdom and Central and Eastern Europe.

Update: DLA Piper Puts Dubai Lawyers on ‘Sabbatical’

Erik Even — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 18:42:13 +0000

DLA Piper, which just laid off 8 associates in Dubai, has additionally placed almost 20% of the remaining Dubai-based lawyers on either a six-month “sabbatical” or a secondment.

Those taking the sabbatical are not guaranteed a job when it is over, which means it’s not really a sabbatical, is it?

The firm has relocated an undisclosed number of lawyers from Dubai to Abu Dhabi, and announced reduced working hours and pay for other staff.

DLA Piper, which has 97 lawyers in Dubai following the job losses, blamed the cuts on reduced client demand. Recent news reports have suggested that after years of giddy expansion, Dubai is falling apart in the global economic meltdown, with those foreigners who are permitted by the state’s dictatorship to leave the country doing so in droves.

DLA Piper is one of the largest law firms in the world, with more than 3,700 lawyers in North America and Europe.

Clarke Wilmott Going to 4-Day Week

Erik Even — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 17:03:45 +0000

Birmingham, UK-based law firm Clarke Willmott wants to cut staff work hours at its Bristol office to four days a week, in the hopes of preventing layoffs.

The firm’s 238 Bristol staff have been asked to give the firm’s management board the power to cut one day a week.

The firm is also looking at job-sharing and sabbaticals.

Ropes & Gray Defers Start Dates, Offers ‘New Alternatives’

Erik Even — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 21:25:30 +0000

Boston-based Ropes & Gray is deferring start dates for the 2009 class, and is offering “new alternatives” to help associates “develop professionally” while there’s no work to do.

The firm cut 106 staff positions, or 10% of its non-lawyer staff, in late January.

From the official memo:

As you are aware, Ropes & Gray is, like all firms, experiencing a period of slower activity. As a result, we are currently challenged to provide rich, substantial work assignments for associates in some practices…

In response, we are rolling out a program that offers all associates non-traditional opportunities for continued professional and personal development both outside and inside the firm. We are also deferring the start of new associates in the class of 2009 (as you know, we have previously shortened the summer program for the same reasons)…

Public interest fellowship opportunities–including both practice of law work and non-practice of law work.

Sabbatical opportunities.

Enhanced access to potentially non-billable training and development assignments, and credit towards our 1900 hour target for certain training activities on client matters even though they are not billed to clients.

Deferred start for the incoming class of 2009 to early January 2010…

We will also be scheduling a meeting on March 30 for associates interested in public service fellowships…

Ropes & Gray LLP is a national law firm with offices located in Boston, New York City, Palo Alto, San Francisco, Washington, Chicago, Hong Kong and Tokyo; and a conference center in London. The firm has over 1,000 lawyers worldwide.

Dentons Cuts 37 Lawyers, 39 Staff

Erik Even — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 22:42:44 +0000

Denton Wilde Sapte has cut 37 lawyers and 39 staff.

The redundancy process was completed last week, after a consultation with 80 staff members in the firm’s London and Milton Keynes offices.

Dentons says half of the redundancies were voluntary. Three staff members kept their jobs after agreeing to take a six-month sabbatical, and one employee switched jobs.

Laid-off staff will be offered an “enhanced” redundancy package, as well as assistance in training costs and career counseling.

Denton Wilde Sapte LLP, or Dentons, is a law firm headquartered in the City of London that employs over 600 lawyers.

Norton Rose Adopting 4-Day Week

Erik Even — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 16:26:44 +0000

Norton Rose may implement flexible hours scheme to help avoid job cuts.

For one year, Norton Rose employees (including partners) would choose between a four-day week, a paid sabbatical of four to 12 weeks, or both.

Employees would earn 85% of their salary for the four-day week, while the sabbatical option would be paid out at 30% of base salary.

If approved, the scheme will run from May 1st, 2009.

Last month, the firm offered incoming trainees cash to defer their start dates.

The Norton Rose Group is a leading international law firm. It offers business law services from 20 offices across Europe, the Middle East and Asia. With around 1000 lawyers, its practice specializes in five key areas: corporate finance, financial institutions, energy and infrastructure, transport and technology.