JD Journal » voluntary departure

Pillsbury Offers Incoming Associates $60K to Drop Dead [Update]

Erik Even — Tue, 19 May 2009 23:34:00 +0000

Pillsbury, which has delayed start dates for its incoming first year associates to January 2010, is now offering $60,000 to associates willing to forget about working at the firm.

Other firms have been offering $75,000 for the same deal.

The firm has also announced a public interest fellowship program. Rather than paying associates to do work with a non-profit or government agency, Pillsbury will pay $5,000 per month directly to the employer.

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

UPDATE

It appears that Pillsbury is deferring 32 members of its incoming class of new associates to January 2010; the other 22 don’t start until January 2011.

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.

Pillsbury Winthrop Fires 155

Erik Even — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 17:13:55 +0000

Pillsbury Winthrop this week let go 55 associates, 10 paralegals, and 90 staffers.

The firm had previously announced a “voluntary departure” plan. It is unknown how many of these departures were voluntary.

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

Know anything about these layoffs? Send us a confidential tip!

Update: Pillsbury Winthrop Offers “Voluntary Departure”

Erik Even — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 17:16:00 +0000

As we reported last week (and in case you didn’t overhear it yourself on the train), Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman is laying off an undisclosed number of attorneys.

The firm has now announced a “voluntary departure” plan for any of the firm’s lawyers who don’t like hearing about their impending joblessness from the blogosphere instead of management.

As you were advised last week, Pillsbury is planning to implement a reduction in workforce that will affect attorneys and staff. Although we have taken many prior steps to respond to the current challenging business climate, we have reluctantly concluded that a reduction in the attorney workforce is necessary to align ourselves with the volume of work we expect in 2009. As part of this reduction process, the Firm is offering a voluntary departure plan to associates, senior associates and counsel.

The voluntary departure program will provide attorneys who elect to leave and are selected a severance package that consists, among other things, of three months of base pay. Attorneys interested in considering the program will have until Friday, February 27, to state their desire to be included. Promptly thereafter, the local and firm-wide practice section leaders will consider whether attorneys in their sections who have expressed interest in the voluntary departure program can be accommodated.

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

Know anything about these layoffs? Send us a confidential tip!