Above the Law is getting numerous tips about “stealth” layoffs at Los Angeles-based 2,100-lawyer firm Latham & Watkins, but the world’s fifth largest firm denies there are any layoffs, except for ordinary firings in the wake of year-end reviews.
Consistent with our standard practice at the end of each year, we have completed our associate review process. We counsel our associates at the completion of our review process each year, and in those conferences discuss topics such as job performance, compensation and career tracks. Our decisions relating to associate departures were performance related and part of our usual year-end process, not part of an economic layoff.