The Boston Common Law Blog reports that Choate, Hall & Stewart, one of the oldest “Boston Brahmin firms,” has laid off 15 attorneys.
Thanks to our tipsters, we have some of the grim details… Department heads went around this morning to alert the ill-fated 15 of their impending demise, but it was made clear that the layoffs affected all areas and were not performance based. Former Choatees will stick around for another month and will have access to outplacement services, and then be given two months severance.
Support staff reportedly were not treated quite so generously – today was their last day, they’ve already been locked out of the system, and it is still unclear (more tips people!) whether they received any severance at all.
Founded in 1899, the firm employs 200 attorneys and 250 staff members all working out of a single Boston office.
UPDATE
More facts are in.
Midsize Boston-based law firm Choate, Hall & Stewart laid off 15 attorneys and 23 nonlegal staff, or about 8% of the company due to a decline in work levels.
Choate Hall announced the cuts on Jan. 23 by releasing an internal memo from co-managing partners William Gelnaw and John Nadas.
Via NLJ.