Nationwide Start Date Watch: Heller Ehrman(And OCI withdrawals, too.)

We recently heard the following about Heller Ehrman:

1. Start dates for incoming associates have been pushed back to January 19, 2009. Associates are being offered a $10,000 stipend.

2. The firm has pulled out of on-campus interviewing (OCI) at several law schools, including UVA and UC-Davis.

We contacted the firm for comment. Spokesman Patrick Bustamante informed us that Heller has delayed the start date for fall associates to Tuesday, January 20, 2009 (because Monday the 19th is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day). These associates will receive a monthly stipend between November and January.
He also confirmed that the firm has withdrawn from OCI at some schools:

It’s not unusual for firms to change or cancel their on-campus interview plans as they refine their hiring goals in late summer. [Ed. note: “Guys in my high school…”]

Because we plan to hire fewer summer associates next summer, we did cancel our plans to interview at some schools and to focus on schools where we have been the most successful in the past.

A little bit more, after the jump.


One of the affected incoming associates expressed concern to us:

The partner who called me told me that the executive committee “has made a decision to decrease expenses” and “all other firms are doing it too.” [Ed. note: “Guys in my high school…”]

Personally, I doubt that there will be any partners left come January. Two more have jumped ship this week: Darryl Snider in L.A. and Blaine Templeman in N.Y., both to Sheppard Mullin.

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Heller Ehrman is a fine firm, home to many excellent lawyers and decent people, including much of its leadership (which can’t be said of every firm out there). We wish them good luck in getting past the current instability.
P.S. Props to Heller for Operation Backpack — not as major as their China earthquake response, but still worth commendation.
Update: More info about the Heller moves is available at Legal Pad.
High-Profile Antitrust Trial Lawyer Darryl Snider Joins Sheppard Mullin Los Angeles [MarketWatch]
Intellectual Property Partner Blaine Templeman Joins Sheppard Mullin New York [MarketWatch]
Heller Ehrman Helps Launch First-Graders Back-to-School [Business Wire]

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