JD Journal » summer associates program

Summer associates at Morgan Lewis left in the cold

joshua — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 21:47:52 +0000

♫ Summer dreams, ripped at the seams, but oh oh those summer nights… ♫

As any fan of the musical Grease can tell you, summers are the stuff of dreams. Not so if you’re a Morgan Lewis & Bockius summer associate this year. Tips coming from the Washington DC office originally indicated that the total number of offers being made to summer associates there is zero, but Morgan Lewis has refuted that claim. Can any summer associates from the DC office confirm that offers have been made? Send us a confidential tip! This comes on the heels of the decision to cancel the summer program altogether for 2010.

Morgan Lewis employs more than 1400 lawyers in 22 cities around the world.

Skadden Slashing 2010 Summer Class Size by Half

Erik Even — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 18:15:54 +0000

Skadden will hold its Summer associates program in 2010, but with less than half as many associates than in 2009.

The firm had 225 summers this year, but will only have about 100 in 2010. No 2010 offers will be rescinded — if more than 100 associates accept their offers, they all will participate.

As for the 2009 Summer class, whose start dates were deferred to 2011 in May, Skadden will offer jobs to 95%.

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, founded in 1948, is a prominent law firm based in New York City. With over 2,000 attorneys, it is one of the largest and highest-grossing law firms in the world. Forbes magazine called Skadden “Wall Street’s most powerful law firm.”

Loeb & Loeb Cancels NY Summer Program

Erik Even — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 16:12:43 +0000

Loeb & Loeb, which laid off four corporate lawyers in July, has “suspended” its Summer associates program at its New York office. No program will be held in 2010, nor later until the firm announces otherwise.

Loeb & Loeb says its associate recruitment will focus on attorneys who already have experience.

Founded in 1909 in Los Angeles, Loeb & Loeb is a national law firm with offices in LA, New York, Chicago and Nashville. It has applied to open a representative office in Beijing. The firm employs over 300 attorneys.

Howard Rice Cancels 2010 Summer Program

Erik Even — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 16:41:06 +0000

San Francisco’s Howard Rice, which cut all associate salaries by 10% in June, is taking a one year break from its Summer associates program for 2010, despite an increase in business.

This is after some law students had already won on-campus interview slots with the firm.

The firm intends to resume the program for Summer 2011.

Founded in 1954, Howard Rice Nemerovski Canady Falk & Rabkin employs almost 100 lawyers.

Eckert Seamans Cancels 2010 Summer Program

Erik Even — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 16:32:54 +0000

Eckert Seamans, which laid off 90 temporary attorneys in July, has canceled its 2010 Summer associates program.

Other than a terse announcement on its website, the firm has made no official statement.

Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, LLC is a national full-service law firm based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with two offices located in the Pittsburgh area and eight other offices located throughout the eastern United States.

Paul Hastings to 2009 Summers: No Deferrals [UPDATE]

Erik Even — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 17:30:39 +0000

Although Los Angeles’ Paul Hastings has not finished informing this year’s Summer associates which ones will get job offers, the firm is promising the 70% to 75% who are accepted that they will start in Fall 2010, and will not be deferred.

Last year, the firm offered jobs to 90% if its Summer associates.

Founded in LA in 1951, Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP is a leading international law firm with over 1,300 attorneys and 18 offices worldwide. Paul Hastings serves a diverse client base that includes many top financial institutions and Fortune 500 companies.

UPDATE

In less than a day, Paul Hastings has reversed its position on deferrals for its Fall 2010 incoming class.

Paul Hastings will have some of its new associates start in the fall of 2010, but some new associates will start in the [sic] January 2011.

McCarter & English Cancels 2010 Summer Associates Program

Erik Even — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 18:05:09 +0000

New Jersey’s McCarter & English has canceled its summer associates program for 2010.

The firm has also deferred incoming associates to December, 2009.

Founded in 1844, McCarter & English is the oldest and largest law firm based in New Jersey. It has over 400 lawyers in seven offices in the Northeastern United States. Headquartered Newark, the firm also has offices in Boston, Hartford, Stamford, New York City, Philadelphia, and Wilmington.

Pillsbury Cancels 2010 West Coast Summer Associates Programs

Erik Even — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 04:17:18 +0000

Pillsbury has canceled its 2010 Summer associates programs for its West Coast offices.

The firm currently intends to keep its Summer programs for New York, Houston and Washington DC.

Pillsbury hosted 50 Summer associates in 2009. The 2010 class may be as few as 15.

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman is an international law firm with offices located throughout the US and globally, including key financial centers New York, London, Tokyo and Shanghai.

Ropes & Gray Offers Summers a $60K Fellowship

Erik Even — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 01:07:26 +0000

Ropes & Gray, which in July deferred its 2009 summer associates to “no earlier than January 2011,” is offering those associates a public interest fellowship worth $60,000.

The firm would not confirm rumors that every single one of its current summers was offered a job, but said there would be a “very high offer rate.”

In addition to the $60,000, public interest fellows will get medical, dental and vision coverage, plus a bar exam stipend. They may also accept a $20,000 loan, to be repaid after joining the firm.

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.

DLA Piper Defers Summer Associates

Erik Even — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 22:57:12 +0000

DLA Piper is deferring its current summer associates to January 2011 at least, and will offer a voluntary deferral to January 2012.

The firm still intends to have a Summer 2010 class, with recruiting beginning in November 2009.

The 2008 Summer class was previously deferred from October 2009 to January 2010 and Fall 2010, with a $60,000 public interest fellowship offered.

DLA Piper is one of the largest law firms in the world. It is a legal services organization whose members and affiliates are separate and distinct legal entities. The organization boasts more than 3,500 lawyers in 29 countries and 65 office.

McDermott Lays Off 25 Associates, 47 Staff

Erik Even — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 17:14:43 +0000

McDermott Will & Emery, which last week cut pay for its summer associates, announced today it has laid off 25 associates and 47 staff.

Some first year associates were cut, but are being offered a public service fellowship. The amount of the stipend was not disclosed.

In March the firm froze associate salaries; in February, McDermott laid off 60 associates and 89 staff.

McDermott Will & Emery LLP, founded in 1934, is a prestigious international law firm headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. It is one of the top 10 largest law firms in the United States and one of the 20 largest in the world.

McDermott Will & Emery Reduces Summer Associate Pay

Erik Even — Fri, 29 May 2009 16:55:06 +0000

McDermott Will & Emery has cut pay for its summer associates to $135,000, down from the Biglaw standard $160,000.

McDermott says the cuts were in response to client concerns. The firm’s first year associates still collect their full $160,000 salary. But the firm has announced that associate salaries will be frozen for 2009.

Summer associates were not informed of the salary cut until they arrived for work. The firm says it has always been its practice to inform summers of their compensation information when they start, rather than sooner.

Schiff Hardin Cutting Costs to Avoid Layoffs

Erik Even — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 20:24:24 +0000

Chicago’s Schiff Hardin has announced it is taking steps to cut costs, in the hope of avoiding further layoffs.

From the memo, signed by managing partner Ronald S. Safer:

I know you have read with interest, and undoubtedly some trepidation, the news of law
firms slashing personnel, lawyers and staff alike. We have no intention of following that lead…

… We will curtail our summer associate program by shortening it to 8 weeks and making the program more content focused. We will delay the start date for our Fall Associates to January 1, 2010…

…we will eliminate this year’s Staff Appreciation Luncheon and Picnic. We will not have Holiday Parties this year. Similarly, the Attorney Dinner Dance will not be held this year. The Equity Partners’ Retreat will be replaced by a business meeting which will be held in Chicago. We will, however, hold our Service Recognition Luncheon for staff again this year…

… Associates, like Partners and Of Counsel Attorneys, will be responsible for 100% of the premium for health and disability insurance. We will continue to share this cost with members of our staff…

Finally, we are offering a Voluntary Early Retirement Option…

Thank you for your consideration and understanding.

The firm laid off some administrative staff in February.

Schiff Hardin employs more than 400 attorneys, practicing out of seven offices nationwide.

Alston & Bird Defers Start Dates

Erik Even — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 19:09:50 +0000

Atlanta-based Alston & Bird is deferring start dates for incoming associates.

Summer programs are being reduced to nine weeks. Entering associates will be deferred to January, 2010. There will be a $10,000 stipend offered.

Those interested in a one-year public service or pro bono fellowship will get payments of $500 per month. Alston & Bird will be provide salary advances, as well as covering bar exam and study course fees and moving expenses.

Alston & Bird LLP is the second largest law firm in Atlanta and the forty-third largest in the United States. Founded in 1893, the firm has local offices in Atlanta; Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina; New York City; Washington, DC; Dallas; Los Angeles, the Silicon Valley and Ventura County.

Edwards Angell Defers Start Dates, Cancels Summer Program

Erik Even — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 17:04:15 +0000

Yesterday, Edwards Angell announced the layoffs of 25 lawyers and 35 staff, or 15% of the firm’s workforce.

Today the firm announced will delay the start dates for its incoming first year associates to March 1, 2010.

Deferred first years will get a $10,000 stipend plus bar expenses.

The firm has also canceled its 2009 summer associate program. Edwards Angell will be paying $5,000 each to the nine students affected.

Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP is an American law firm based in Boston, Massachusetts. The firm is number 97 on the list of the world’s largest law firms by 2006 revenue. The firm was formed by the 2005 merger of Edwards & Angell LLP and Palmer & Dodge LLP.