An Update on Start Dates: DLA Piper, Pillsbury Winthrop
These aren’t the best of times for Biglaw, in case you hadn’t noticed. The most recent evidence: staff and lawyer layoffs at Sonnenschein, news that we broke last night (and might write more about, so feel free to email us with info).
But here is a tiny sliver of good news. In response to our open call for information about delayed start dates for incoming associates, which some law firms have been using to reduce expenses, we received very little.
First, we learned that DLA Piper has instituted a nationwide start date of October 1. This isn’t terribly exciting, since October 1 isn’t that late. Other firms that have announced delayed start dates have gone for late October or even January.
The change also doesn’t appear to be economically motivated. From DLA spokesperson Jason Costa:
The changes were made to provide a uniform start date across all our offices. The new collective date allows us to have a uniform orientation process. We think it will also be good for the associates, since the shared start date will probably lead to a tighter knit class.
Our tipsters mentioned the availability of pay advances if needed, which Costa confirmed: “We are more than happy to give pay advances to any incoming associates who had planned to start earlier than October, and who may need the extra cash.”
Second, we received more details about Pillsbury Winthrop, which previously said it was spacing out start dates “over several months.”
Read the rest, after the jump.
From a Pillsbury tipster:
They gave us a choice of three start dates: October 1, November 15, or January 5. With the November start, they offered a $5k bonus, and with the January start, they offered a $10k bonus. Both bonuses could be combined with an extra $10k interest-free loan, and both were on top of the $10k salary advance promised in our offer letter.Supposedly this is a firm-wide policy and is good for all 80 incoming first-years. Also supposedly it’s not because of the economy, although nobody believes that.
The letter they sent repeated three times that our jobs were safe and suggested that some might like to volunteer for a campaign in the fall. (I thought that was funny, but I’m actually considering it.)
Health care starts October 1 no matter which date we chose. They said they were trying to split the class and have one third start on each date.
So that’s the latest in start date news. If you have more, feel free to contact us.
(17) Comments
Comments
First to say NY has gone to 2011
My firm gave me the option of starting in September as an assistant in the document services department, October as a secretary, November as a paralegal, or January as an associate.
I'm not sure if I can go all the way until January without working. Does anyone know how hard it is to work your way up from paralegal to associate?
Guys at my high school were just wanted a hug from their bros; they were lonely and scared. It was no big deal.
-FRAT STUD
FRAT STUD CORRECTION
Guys at my high school just wanted a hug from their bros; they were lonely and scared. It was no big deal.
-FRAT STUD
Guys at my high school started the school year in January each year. It was no big deal.
mad boring.
They pay you more to not work?
SNR isn't paying me to push my start date to January.
5:01 -- Come to think of it I'd like my biglaw firm to pay me a bigger bonus to take a couple of months off. NY to months off for bigger bonus!
4:27 - LOL! Thanks for making my day
What is the big deal? For years, these firms have been pushing back AU grads' start dates to "never."
Hmmm...echoes of 2002 January start dates come to mind.
INCOMING ASSOCIATE: What? What's that? It's January and you don't need me after all? After I waited patiently as you asked, and some of my colleagues started earlier and got more doc review experience? You're paying me a bonus not to show up at all, even though you promised everything would be fine? Market conditions have changed, you say? You mean to say that I'm off-cycle, spent more than a year waiting for my start date with your firm that wooed me so hard during recruiting, and no one else will hire me because the job market is terrible? Oh...and my loans are kicking in now?
UNBUSY FIRM: Sorry, Sucker!
INCOMING ASSOCIATE: Doh! I've been had by the old "dangle a carrot" trick again! Man!
FROM AN OLD TIMER--Start Late at Your Peril.
It happened at banks, consulting firms in 2002. It could happen to you.
"The change also doesn't appear to be economically motivated. From DLA spokesperson Jason Costa:"
You overly credulous fool.
"The changes were made to provide a uniform start date across all our offices. The new collective date allows us to have a uniform orientation process. We think it will also be good for the associates, since the shared start date will probably lead to a tighter knit class."
This is hilarious. DLA has 86 offices, 25 of which are in the United States. There is no way to have a meaningful "uniform orientation process" across so many, and only associates in the same office have any possibility of being "tight knit." Oct. 1 might not be that late, but if you didn't have economic concerns, why not let associates start whenever they want? My firm has already had some of last year's summers start as associates.
Just to clarify on PWSP--I am an incoming associate, and I understand the policy as follows:
-$10K interest free loan to all, re-payable at $1K/m once working.
-$5K stipend to those who start November 15.
-$10K stipend to those who start January 1.
-Health coverage begins October 1, regardless of start date.
This differs from the original info in that I don't read our offer, plus the latest info from the firm, as supplying a $10K interest free loan and an additional $10K salary advance--Just the interest free loan to all and a stipend if you start on one of the later dates. Also, PWSP did not specify a start date in my offer, so no date would really be a delay.
While I want to start ASAP, I appreciate the automatic stipends if I have to take a later date. I've seen quite a few classmates pushed back as far as January at other firms with no compensation.
For those of you who might be unaware:
DLA = teh suck
October 1 mandatory start date? October 1 is also Rosh Hashanah. Nice job of checking calendar, DLA...
Allen & Overy to DLA...
I know this is a late comment, but, on top of the interest free $10K loan, DLA Piper covers bar fees, BarBri, and PMBR--unlike some other BigLaw.