When are you posting the idol winner?

FIRST!!!!!!!!!!

HOLY CRAP, I DID IT, Y'ALL!!!!!!!!!!!! I DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!

FRIGGITY FIRST!!

WHY AM I SO FIRSTY?

3 - See # 1.

You did not do it, nor are you "friggity first". You shouldnt be firsty, you should be thirdsty.

4, very eloquent indeed.

Any lawyer layoffs?

All this time I thought "Fried Frank" was a disparaging nick name...like “Clearly Goatlips”.

"Fried Frank" does have a certain self deprecating appeal, but as firm names go it’s no MoFo…..

There were NO attorney layoffs.

mmmmm....fried frank

They had straighten them out! The staff members were banging cocktail waitresses two at a time. Attorneys couldn't get a brief photocopied. What's the matter with you! ~ Moe Green, Esq.

You took the staff members in because the Corleone Family bankrolled your firm, and the Molinari Family on the Coast guaranteed their safety. Now we're talking business, let's talk business.

I leave for NY in the morning, think about a price.

#7, you do know it's pronounced Freed Frank, don't you?

[#7 slaps his forehead -- "So that's why I didn't get an offer!"]

Sun0f@b!tch! Do you know who I am? I'm Fried Frank! I made my bones when you were going out with cheerleaders!

I'm liking the new character of Moe Green.

Two things Mr. Green:

1.) Don't get any more massages.
2.) If you continue to get massages, don't wear your glasses while being massaged. That way, you can't get shot through the lens.

Those paralegals and secretaries? You won't hear from them no more.

Fried Frank = associate stealth layoff leader!

Those paralegals and secretaries? You won't hear from them no more.

Did any of the fired staff receive a fish and a bullet proof vest wrapped in newspaper?

Moe Green buys you out!

Are law firms now not allowed to conduct themselves in a fiscally responsible manner without being called out for it on ATL? If these are economy-related layoffs, I agree that that is interesting news to share. But if these are really the result of a 2-year survey and identifying redundancies (i.e., roles that were not necessary, not contributing value, and the like over a period of YEARS), it doesn't seem fair to ring the layoff scaremonger bell. If there are roles that are no longer needed at the firm, the firm should cut those costs. Is the firm supposed to keep people on its payroll indefnitely, even if the firm no longer needs those services? This would just mean that the firm would be less stable and that everyone else would have to bill more, or raise their billing rates, to make up for the waste. (Of course, I agree that where appropriate, personnel should be moved into new roles if their skill sets match the firm's needs.)

It just seems like a survey and a review of the firm's staffing needs is a responsible business decision--and in this case apparently a very necessary one--and not an indication of the health of the firm, etc. What's next, reporting on every business decision a firm makes?

Still, am glad this post was posted if only because of comment no. 4.

Tom Hagen is no longer Consigliari. He's going to be our janitor in Vegas. That's no reflection on the Tom's performance; it's just the way I want it. Besides, if I ever help who would be better Consigliari than the new 2009 associates. That's it.

I want a post about what brand of printing paper firms use -- firms that use cheap paper are so TTT and are certain to implode once NY goes to $190k.

FF gave offers to all 72 summers. But there are rumors of pushing the 2009 start date back to 10/15.

7 - did you also think Akin Gump was a nickname, like "oh, my achin' gump!"?

I bet he also thinks Mayer Brown is a mayor.

Associates are next - the writing is on the wall.

Associates are next - the writing is on the wall.

Associates next? How about associates already. A lot of them over the past six months.

I know of at least on associate who got pushed out over something quite inconsequential.

Fried Frank don't even have that kind of muscle anymore. They are getting chased out of New York by Skadden and the rest of the V5.

I talked to Skadden. I can make the deal with them and still keep my soul.

There is "fiscal responsibility," and then there is cutting "costs," i.e., staff, to make PPP stay at what may turn out to be unsustainable and unrealistic levels. Once cutting staff is done, what else will these firms do to sustain PPP...?

How do you say "associate layoffs"?
"Associate layoffs."

I agree with 21. A lot of the secretaries at FF have been underused because associates do most of the work themselves. There is no reason for the Firm to pay secretaries to buy shoes on the Firm's internet connection all day.

30 - There are two sides to every story. The side I heard wasn't too flattering for the associate.

Fried Frank just like any other law firm or investment firm in NY made a solid decision based on whats best for the firm. The firm is still solid in business and in name. FF will continue doing business for many many years with a very respectful name. This unfortunately is the signs of the time along with many technological changes. I am not sure who is writing into all this but most of the comments below are false.

The FF chairwomen told us there will be no associate layoffs (and that there have never been associate layoffs at FF). I don't know if there have been stealth layoffs over and above the normal course of business. I found today's meeting reassuring. I do think it's too bad that they couldn't accomplish this by doing a hiring freeze - but i'm guessing it's because the secretarial turnover rate is very low (I'm guessing some secretaries fired have been at the firm for 10 years or more). I do know that secretaries are underutilized and ideally would be doing the work that is currently often given to paralegals (cross reference checking; making binders, etc.).

Yes, that well-known law firm who had the upstanding reputation as the 'family' law firm in DC, where its employees always came first and were cared for and cherished for their loyalty and dedication was ordered to give the axe to their employees, without giving advanced notice to them, by the NY headquarters today. (Which is said to have axed 50 plus of their own today without fair warning). It wasn't just secretaries but people in other departments many who have been there and literally grew up there from their teens for over 20 plus years now. Dedicated to the company and the lawyers they trusted and worked long hours for and many times all night to make certain the firm met deadlines and kept their clients happy!

The reason behind the massacre today of the DC family was plain and simple - Greed. The almighty dollar which is the root of all evil! What good does it do one to conquer the world if they lose their soul along the way!

Your father did business with Fried Frank, he respected Fried Frank... but he never *trusted* Fried Frank!

For those considering this a "sound business decision," think about it another way. Over 2 years ago the firm was collecting so much they didn't even care about how much they were spending on staff support. It should definitely make you think about the overall health of the firm, or at the very least its mismanagement during swings in the economy.

Also, there were definitely silent associate layoffs, I would bet $$$ that a sizeable chunk of those 72 summer associates won't be there in one or two years. Not everyone that left "to seek greener pastures" did so by choice.

All of you are sitting high in the Sierra Mountains drinking champagne cocktails, and you're passing judgment on how Fried Frank runs his family!

(in Sicilian) Fried Frank's Family? Fried Frank's Family's still called TTT. And you'll run it like a TTT.

Pass judgment on how Fried Frank runs its family or sit in puzzlement and question why - who or what made DC Fried Frank blithely dismiss long term employees who had served them with pride, loyalty, devotion, and without question, majority of who were part of the DC family close to and over 20 plus years? Long term loyalty and devotion to a company is a rare commodity to be found in this day and age.

It was common knowledge around DC that when an employee would leave for monetary greener grass they'd soon return knocking on the door and Fried Frank would welcome them back. When an employees' family member would pass away the lawyers themselves along with staff would attend the funeral service out of respect. Lawyers and staff played basketball and baseball together. They mourned deaths together in respective families and they welcomed new births together in respective families.

Once again, one has to question who or what was behind the ultimate insult to those long term employees who dedicated many years of their lives day in and day out to serve DC Fried Frank lawyers with pride, devotion and loyalty and then to have it all thrown back in their faces in less than an hour.

What good does it do to conquer the world if one loses their soul along the way!

Wait, 29, associates already???? More details please!!!!

There was this kid I grew up with; he was younger than me. Sorta looked up to me, you know. We did our first work together, worked our way out of the street. Things were good, we made the most of it. After WWII, we advised a lot of M&A deals in NY... made a fortune, your father, Skadden, too. As much as anyone, I loved him and trusted him. Later on he had an idea to build an international firm with an office in DC and with long term employees who would serve him with pride, loyalty, devotion, and without question. That kid's name was Fried Frank, and the city he invented was DC. This was a great man, a man of vision and guts. And then he fired all the employees and staff, whom he thought he loved, because they were chiseling away his PPP. When I heard it, I wasn't angry; I knew Fried, I knew he was head-strong, talking loud, saying stupid things. So, I let it go. And I said to myself, this is the business we've chosen; I didn't ask who gave the order, because it had nothing to do with business!

Fiscal responsibility is all well and good, while you are wining & dining summers and renovating 9 floors, but, the staff they let go with mortgages and children and no advance notice, some who were there more than 20 years only get 7 weeks to 3 months severance? What happened to running it in the European manner, where you get one month severance for every year worked? I guess the European way only works when it benefits FF partners.

FYI:
Walter Fried, Hans Frank, Sam Harris, Sargent Shriver and Leslie Jacobson

This is the correct meaning behind the Fried and the Frank.
This firm as any firm in the United States was expects to have major lay-off. Unfortunately the end of the barrel always gets the first latch.

FYI:
Walter Fried, Hans Frank, Sam Harris, Sargent Shriver and Leslie Jacobson

This is the correct meaning behind the Fried and the Frank.
This firm as any firm in the United States was expects to have major lay-off. Unfortunately the end of the barrel always gets the first latch.

Interesting observation - why did they not run the lay off European ways. I believe I heard there are only two FF offices in the US and offices in 5 other countries. Is that real reason behind destroying staff'' lives - those who have children, mortgages, possibly children in college with tuition to pay, only career they had was with Fried Frank - throw them aside with a small token offer of money to go away quietly so they can continue their goal in conquering the world?

What good does it do to conquer the world and lose your soul along the way? They are well on their way to doing exactly that.

====> 48
We hear it more and more everyday that allot of companies are out sourcing to foreign regional. Cost is cheap and they do not have to worry about benefits. While we here in the U.S. are suffering tremendously. Gas, mortgage, transit, etc.

====> 48
We hear it more and more everyday that allot of companies are out sourcing to foreign regional. Cost is cheap and they do not have to worry about benefits. While we here in the U.S. are suffering tremendously. Gas, mortgage, transit, etc.

"This firm as any firm in the United States was expects to have major lay-off. "

Huh?

they could have done the same thing with a hiring freeze and through attrition. Greedy b___stads

# 25 -- that's a good one...

# 25 -- that's a good one...

# 25 -- that's a good one...

# 25 -- that's a good one...

# 25 -- that's a good one...

# 25 -- that's a good one...

# 25 -- that's a good one...

# 25 -- that's a good one...

Obviously the comments section has become a joke.....We have a bunch of mid to small size firm attorneys commenting on things that matter. Well excuse us, your Case Western or your Marquette, or whatever sorry school you went to, does not matter. For those of us who do work in the big leagues, this is important news. But to the rest of you, best of luck with your 65k a year, you may even afford an partment in Queens soon.

Obviously the comments section has become a joke.....We have a bunch of mid to small size firm attorneys commenting on things that matter. Well excuse us, your Case Western or your Marquette, or whatever sorry school you went to, does not matter. For those of us who do work in the big leagues, this is important news. But to the rest of you, best of luck with your 65k a year, you may even afford an partment in Queens soon.

I'm sorry to hear about the great lost of employment for the Fried Frank Harris Shriver and Jacbson Law Firm employees; I agree with booth #37 - most of the employees came in as youngester and others came in by the reputation of the "Family Law" firm (DC). But to all the employees that were laid off or in the waken of this lay off, with a mustard seed of Faith...this setback or push out can be a Push UP for future endeavors that can multiply to its highest Greatest Expectations. Many Blessings to you all and May God keep you safe, comfortable and secure in his care. CRJ

#63 - Your spoken heartfelt words are very kind and thoughtful and most likely this will give a new life to many.. However, until that new life comes along who will pay their mortgage; put food on the table; pay possible childcare expenses; possible college tuition; medical bills; pay for gas or travel expenses to interview for new jobs; pay for possible psychological counselling they or their spouses may need at such a blow as the ice man who ordered that massacre without a care in the world about the lives they'd destroy delivered to them.

If one can believe even half of what one hears through grapevines on the street the severence offered to those loyal dedicated employees of many years is close to a joke and an outright insult!

I worked with these people and you could not find a more dedicated, loyal, hardworking bunch. Fried Frank was their life and their work family . The majority that were laid off had been there for 24+ years in the DC office and most are aged 48+ years old. Restructuring? You could have restructured 2 years ago while the economy was still good. A couple of staff had been battling cancer. What are they going to do when their pittance severance pay runs out and their medical insurance is gone? Afford COBRA? Associates and remaining staff BEWARE the axe is sharp and runs deep. Shame on you Fried Frank!

#36, I hope you do give a secretary a cross refererence to do.
I wish I could be there to see the results.

#64 ...you're so right ! Life changes matters especially when you don't have no one or faith to turn because you're LOST. I know what its like to be scare, unemployed and wondering what the next step will be; been there and done that - It will work out for them all; it well!

FFHSJ -- Karma well soon follow!

#67 You are correct Karma does follow and soon catches up. Or maybe better said 'when you do wrong to others it comes back on you two-fold".

It is a sad commentary on FF about what it once was and is no longer that us in the public care more for those employees and have true concerns for their well-being over what FF headquarters did to those loyal dedicated employees than the lawyers themselves they were dedicated to and trusted who didn't protect them.

#65 If you can and should believe what others have had to say on here - this was no restructuring at all - FF has more than enough money - was it not said that one of the Powers that Be who helped plan the massacre announced this was one of their best years? This was based on plain and simple GREED - their goal is obviously to conquer the legal world and have more fame than other law firms who expanded across the oceans. Every penny and thousands they saved by detroying their employees lives was to put more money put in the game plan, which in turn would put more millions in their pockets.

They may well get their fame and more millions in their pockets but what great wrongs they did to others to get there will be whispered about and written about and follow them every step of the way.

I am a secretary at a large NYC law firm. Lawyers do not speak to their secretaries, nor do they care about them. All they want is for them to do the work they give them. With all of the newer attorneys coming into the firm each year there is less 'thinking' work for a secretary to do; all of the attorneys these days are computer-literate. Well, good luck to those at FF who in the near future will need to have a document revised or they need to get a lunchtime reservation at a 5-star restaurant. And, I'd love to see them do their own T&E expense reports! As they say in the theatre, "Break a leg!".

For years the FF NY office has tried to find ways to undermine the DC office. Awhile back I heard that DC partners who did not have their own client base were forced to take a steep pay cut. Now, with the axing of many long-term, dedicated employees, FF has finally shown their true colors to everyone. I agree with the poster who said it is greed. I hope that anyone with a shred of a discrimination case goes after them full on. Mean people suck.

#71 This whole tragedy becomes more 'interesting' for lack of a better word so sorry. I had head the FFNY has tried and succeeded over the last 2 or more years to undermine and literally take over the DCFF, stripping it of its good reputation as a family law firm and as well as put all their NY managers and/or directors over the DC managers/directors and control them as if puppets on a string. Thus, the next logical conclusion would be they may control the DC partners in much he same manner. Which means the partners would have had no say so or been able to protect their employees they were known to stand behind all those many years prior. I had heard rumours that 5 Partners had walked out of the DC office over the past year and a half and rather questioned that rumour but any questions about the veracity of those rumours have just been answered by what you said above in #71.
If just half of what is written on here the past two days is true, then one can only wait and wonder how many more Partners will be leaving the DC firm seeing the handwriting on the wall. Those DC lawyers are undoubtedly taking a lot of the heat for not stopping the Monday massacre when in fact odds are they had no power to stop it. Yes FFNY has 'shown their true colors to everyone' but most knew their true colours, they just hadn't exposed them in DC for the DC legal world to view. One of the deadly 7 sins is Greed.
Money is quite often is the root of all evil as the old saying goes.

Yes, #71 'mean people suck' , I see that in the corporate world, but that which goes around comes around and many times two-fold.

Does anyone know if FF fired the guy in the word processing center who had his own Mac and runs his own desktop publishing business on the firm's time and resources? Or is he still untouchable? Just wondering since most of the people terminated seemed to be out of favor with the Director of Secretarial Services, irregardless of skill level. While many sucks ups remain.

I do not know the names of those who were axed from the NY office, only the DC office. The DC office fired all float secretaries, three senior secretaries all over 50 years of age (and one of them has been battling cancer for the last couple of years), at least one part-time paralegal, also over 50, the night mailroom guy, the entire copy room staff, both maintenance guys, one of whom is over 50, and one messenger department guy. I'm not sure how long the floats have been there, but the rest are all long-term (multiple years).

I was told by a reliable source they fired three paralegals - two of those were women who had been treated for cancer in the past couple of years and one of them had very serious cancer. One of the floats (senior secretary/float) also had serious cancer and treatment for it. The float secretaries were in late 50's and early 60's. The floats were long timers as were all most everyone laid off. Some of the men in the copy room had been there since right ot school and grew up there. I'll wager the overall average tenure there was 20 years plus. They laid off 3 in the library and one in the records department. From what I heard they didn't lay anyone off from their Information systems department, which I'm told is overstaffed and many there just sit at their desks on the phone or just talking to each other and if one is lucky might get help with a computer problem by the next day or so.

It is said the unconscienable actions were planned and ordered by two in NY and no doubt gleefully agreed to by those with lust filled eyes for gold in the NY headquarters, and they didn't even have the courage to show up at either place while the massacre was carried out. Were they hiding behind closed doors in case an employee took offense at the way they expressed their thank yous for being dedicated loyal employees all these years? They forced the Director of Personnel in the DC office to take the action herself, knowing full well she had worked with those people for many years and was friends with them. Quite sadistic to do to someone and nothing like lording your power over people when you are gods and goddesses in your own minds.

Regarding Comment No. 75: I am so sorry. My heart goes out to all the victims of this massacre and to their families as well. The moment JS came to the firm it has been bad news. The last three digits of his employee number is 666. Does that tell you anything?

The reason, I'm told by reliable sources, JS was brought to the firm was to deliver even more millions promised to them through new business and expansions across the oceans into the already wealthy ones' pockets in NY and FF to claim world fame as the best! He is not an American, he is from the UK! I understand he visited the DC office, once on board in position of power, to deliver to the employees and lawyers alike his program to 'conquer the world' (my words) and announced for all to hear 'we are now into the business of making money' and if they couldn't help out or contribute then they were to leave, I understand was the essence of his message to them.

It is my understanding and once again from a very reliable source that once he took over at NY headquarters much began to change - NY started fast taking over the DC office, changes were made and more or less hand-picked people were hired and put in place in DC and all answered to NY, NY managers and directors were put over DC managers and directors, reorganization of positions and responsibilities with staff took place and an 'uneasiness' could be felt in the air, they said, even amongst the lawyers/Partners it was noted. Morale started going downhill amongst the staff as rumours had started and looking around they could not totally disregard them. My friend had mentioned to me one time that the 'family atmosphere' between staff and lawyers was disappearing - not much laughter or friendly smiles of hello were seen around or heard around the office.

One would think that once they saw 5 major partners walk out of that firm, 4 of whom had been with the firm for many, many years, they would have realized what was coming down in the near future but then not a word was said to those who questioned just why would such well known, highly respected in the legal field throughout the US, long term lawyers walk out with little notice.

In defense of DCFF - when employees would leave they were not replaced. Ongoing classes were given constantly to any who had not had to use frequently programs such as Excel, Power Point, and any other ones over the years. In other words, contrary to what NYFF has tried to imply through their lame excuses for the layoffs, the employees were well qualified and had available to them at all times any classes or private refresher courses they wanted and they did take advantage of it. Employees who left, once again, were not replaced and some staffers had as many as 7 associates and a partner to support and most had 4 or 5. Overstaffed and not up to speed - that sounds like a joke to me. I understand from a float that at holiday times when regular staff was off they covered up to as many as 10 lawyers and two quads a day.

It is glaringly obvious that the staff that worked in FF soon became and were quite expendable, many years of loyalty and dedication meant nothing nor was even appreciated, as FF was lead forward on their goal for further fame and more millions to line their pockets!

I have heard true stories of staff that stayed on and worked all night for night after night in shifts on big cases without a complaint. Men in the copy room who were called in the middle of the night to come in and they went without question. Men in the copy room who also stayed all night to do copy a project that had to get to court or back to the client and many times because the lawyers had procrastinated and not gotten it finished in time. Not a word of complaint from the men in the copy room - they were there to do the job they were hired to do and in turn make the firm look good! Staffers stayed and worked all hours into the night, if not all night ,while the lawyers had gone home to eat dinner with their families and would fax work back and forth to them comfortable in their own home. Staffers would go in on weekends when called at home when a rush case came up without a word and work and some all night and go home in time for breakfast.

So soon the NY lawyers forget when they'd go to the DC office to work on a case for the day or even long term and over weekends, DC staff willingly worked for them side by side on cases days and nights and weekends.

In this world today it is hard to find hard working, loyal, dedicated employees who devoted more than half their lives to helping a company succeed. That is a very rare commodity in this working world and one that should have been cherished and appreciated. Instead they were kicked in their teeth and thrown on the streets and offered a meager severence package that was an insult to them.

Yes, other firms and corporations have done the similar actions to employees over the years. However, very few of their employees, I'll wager, spent over half their working lives dedicated to them. However, this was FFDC famous with an impeccable reputation and for being the 'family' firm in Washington DC who didn't have to command respect, dedication, loyalty and longevity from its staff - their staff freely gave it with pride, dedication and heads held high!

This has certainly been interesting reading for a Sunday afternoon.

Rather looks like that law firm got so caught up in its delusions of grandeur and god-like self image that it forgot some wise old sayings: You treat others in life as you want to be treated! You get more with honey than you do with vinegar! That which goes around comes around - two fold!

This is very very sad. I worked with these people for years. Nearly everyone who was laid off was working at the firm when I started there in the early 90s. For almost every one of these folks I could tell you a story about how they worked around the clock helping me get a filing done, helped me out of a bind (yes, because I procrastinated), asked me how my kids were doing, or some other kindness. I wish I had jobs that I could give them all right now.

I too have heard over the last couple of years that things have become more and more tense in the DC office due to pressure from NY. It's easy to make NY the scapegoat but I can't imagine any other reason for the way this went down.

#79 There is no other reason - it was New York!

You were there in the 90s, then you know how loyal, dedicated and devoted the staff was to the lawyers and how that loyalty was repaid in kind by the lawyers. One couldn't have found a more perfect working partnership than between the lawyers and staff. The staff took pride in doing a job well done and making their lawyers look good! They never let them down and the lawyers appreciated that and never a day went by the lawyers didn't say 'thank you a job well done.'

Starting in 2004 the atmosphere started changing. "Strangers" were brought in by NY and put in various positions, directors and managers of divisions became puppets on a string - NY pulled those strings and told them what to do. NY directors and managers were sent at least weekly to 'snoop' around and report back. Remember our beloved "Frankly Speaking"? We were told no more! FFNY put their own out and we had to submit anything we wanted printed in it. Needless to say NY's news was printed before DC's. Few people in DC would read it and many would automatically delete it when it appeared in the email.

The strain was showing on the lawyers and morale started going downhill, as it was sensed by the staff. Then one by one our beloved partners started walking and tears would flow at the goodbye parties and the thank you hugsand handshakes for a job well done over the years and keep in touch was given by the lawyers. Our family was falling apart. - that great FFDC family known throughout the DC legal world as the firm that stood together and stood behind its employees.

All the ones you knew in the 90's were still there - loyal and dedicated without a pause to the remaining lawyers of the family - until Massacre Monday. NYFF gave the order put them out, FFDC lawyers couldn't stop it, god knows the staff knew they must have tried. Staff who had served FF with loyalty, love, dedication and great pride - majority of whom had grown at FF along beside the lawyers who came in there as young associates right out of law school and were watched with pride as they became partners - were thrown out on the streets - average years there were over 20 up to 30 years.

No good comes out of evil done to others!

Dear commentators,

FRIED FRANK TIMED THE LAYOFFS AS AN END RUN AROUND THE STATUTE RE DEADLINES FOR SIGNING THE WAIVER.

It may have been legal, but FF got around the INTENT of the law that states that as laid off employees we have 45 days to decide whether to sign the waiver forfeiting our rights to any future settlement it in order to get a lousy severance "package." FF deliberately timed our medical insurance to expire in 7 DAYS (August 31st)--NOT 45--and tied extending the coverage to our signing of the waiver.

What this means (and please correct me if I'm wrong) is that if we need medical coverage beyond August 31st and can't pay for it ourselves (Oxford's rate is approximately $1400 a month for a family!), we will be forced to sign the waiver of our rights to a better settlement just to get the medical coverage.

So even though technically we have 45 days from our "Separation Date," August 18th, to think over signing a waiver, in reality we have only seven days from the day our information packet arrived by overnight mail, August 20, until the Friday of the next week, August 30, to squeeze in whatever medical treatments, tests, visits, filled prescriptions we need, etc. OR, we can sign the waiver and get some medical coverage beyond September 1st for a limited time (it's not clear to me for exactly how long because the language is so convoluted).

What better means of pressuring us could FF have used? I believe that FF limited the real time that many people can delay signing the waiver to only 7 days to prevent us from organizing, pressing claims--in other words, taking any actions at all in our best interests.

Then comes the obvious question, why did FF do this?--to keep the most money possible out of the pockets of the laid-off staff.

Also, the legal language in the documents we got and have to pay a lawyer to interpret for us is not, as required by law, in plain English--for example (from Separation Agreement and Release): "...ending on the earlier of (a) the day the Employee becomes eligible... or (b) the last day of the third month after the month in which Employee's Separation Date... for the period September 1, 2008, and ending on the earlier of ... or (y) if your years of service at the Firm and your age totals 80, pay the full premiums... [somehow the (x) clause was missing in the Agreement].

All these contradictory conditions expressed in the cover letter, and dense legal language add up to a confusing collection of documents that are too tricky for lay people to decipher, and that people without jobs can't afford to pay a lawyer to translate for them anyway.

It just gets worse and worse. The more people write in to share their knowledge and experience, the sharper the picture becomes of not only unlimited greed, but of something even more destructive. Fried Frank, the law firm that we helped build, has turned its legal talent AGAINST US--to screw us. And to evade the intention of the legally mandated 45-day period by setting the real deadline (the expiration of our medical coverage) to decide whether to sign the waiver at August 31st.

Finally, this is the name of the law firm and the lawyers I'm talking to:

Tuckner, Sipser, Weinstock, and Sipser, LLP
120 Broadway--ironically, the early Fried Frank's address!, 18th Floor
New York, NY 10271
tel 212-766-9100
fax 212-766-4477
Jack Tuckner's email: jtuckner@womensrightsny.com
Bill Sipser: wsipser@womensrightsny.com

VERY, VERY IMPORTANT: Jack Tucker told me to include in the subject line of any email the words "attorney/client information re Fried Frank in order for it to be protected confidential information.

By the way, I discovered a malicious, juicy lawsuit against the Tuckner firm on the internet, but I read the legal documents posted on the firm's website, and it's obvious that the woman suing is a real nut. All you have to do is read her emails to Jack telling him in detail about her periods, fibroids, childhood, trusting men, on and on. The reason I originally called Tucker Sipser because a lawyer, now retired, at a firm somewhat associated with them helped me a lot in the mid-90's.

Also, I had to leave a number of messages before Jack got back to me. But they're aware of our situation now, and please feel free to send them any information you have, again, using "atty/client info re Fried Frank" in the subject line.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for all the solidarity and community we've created. Thank you ATL for providing this invaluable forum. You've all helped me so much. Please keep in touch.

Thank you very much for the above information. Lawyers are being contacted in the DC area and their information will be shared on here for those wanting their own or to share with the others.

One note with a smile: lawyers so enjoy talking about other firms and gossip about what each is or is not doing. FF will be the luncheon topic in NY and DC for time to come as the word travels through the legal world "did you hear what FF did to their employees and now they have a revolt on their hands and employees are fighting back. Send a note to our HR departments that "our way will not be FF's way.""

This is why Generation X will not think about keeping a job that long. We know and see how big business really works. To think of staying in 1 job for 30 years until retirement is crazy talk. I feel for the people that are in their 50/60s, but don't ever think that a job owes you anything and never think you owe a business anything.
At the end of the day, it's only about $ - not your feelings and dedication. You are a name on a piece of paper at that point.

With that amount of experience, you should be able to land a job if you are competent/well dressed and can type. You'll go into another lawfirm in a pool of other girls. Just don't think that you'll stay there long either. Jobs and job duties change, I would say every 4-5 years. So plan on that and getting a different job.

Gone are the days of getting a job and staying there until you retire girls.

And this is coming from a 32 year old Executive Legal Secretary.

This running off of people started back in 2001. S.Scatterhead was brought in just for this reason. She ran off managers and long time employees who worked hard for the firm, but were now thought of as we need to rid our self's of long time employees. Bring in young new people who will work for less, but have no loyalty to no one. The alarm was sounded years ago , but no one wanted to listen because it wasn't happening to them at the time. HR, Partners, directors were in bed with each other and felt this was the way to change FF. They have managed to bring a great lawfirm name down to the gutter.

This running off of people started back in 2001. S.Scatterhead was brought in just for this reason. She ran off managers and long time employees who worked hard for the firm, but were now thought of as we need to rid our self's of long time employees. Bring in young new people who will work for less, but have no loyalty to no one. The alarm was sounded years ago , but no one wanted to listen because it wasn't happening to them at the time. HR, Partners, directors were in bed with each other and felt this was the way to change FF. They have managed to bring a great lawfirm name down to the gutter.

This running off of people started back in 2001. S.Scatterhead was brought in just for this reason. She ran off managers and long time employees who worked hard for the firm, but were now thought of as we need to rid our self's of long time employees. Bring in young new people who will work for less, but have no loyalty to no one. The alarm was sounded years ago , but no one wanted to listen because it wasn't happening to them at the time. HR, Partners, directors were in bed with each other and felt this was the way to change FF. They have managed to bring a great lawfirm name down to the gutter.

This running off of people started back in 2001. S.Scatterhead was brought in just for this reason. She ran off managers and long time employees who worked hard for the firm, but were now thought of as we need to rid our self's of long time employees. Bring in young new people who will work for less, but have no loyalty to no one. The alarm was sounded years ago , but no one wanted to listen because it wasn't happening to them at the time. HR, Partners, directors were in bed with each other and felt this was the way to change FF. They have managed to bring a great lawfirm name down to the gutter.

There was a time years ago FF would have had the care to properly thank the employees and do whatever it took to help them make a smooth transition back into the employement market.

However, that not totally a correct statement as FF has never coldly and calculating had a layoff of its employees. Years ago yes it laid off lawyers but never its dedicated loyal staff. It gives associates ample time to find another law firm when they don't work out at FF. One can walk down the hallways at FF and know which associates are on their way 'out'. They sit at their desk doing absolutely nothing or take long lunches or come in around noon, if at all. FF freezes them out with no work to do. One has to feel sorry for them being given the FF treatment. But far more humane than the treatment the dedicated and loyal employees received at the hands of the 'new cold blooded' Partners now in power in FFNY. Years ago one associate who was just newly there went to lunch and never came back - rather humorous when thinking of when that happened.

One could sit here list all those partners over the many years, now retired or those who just left the firm after many years leaving staff wondering why but now knowing why, who had the milk of human kindness in them towards the staff and a true caring from the heart for another human being. The Bob Juceams, who did retire, Dick Saubers, the Matt Morleys, the Michael Waldmans, and the other fine Partners who went their way from both DC and NY either into retirement, but still stay active in their own way, or those Partners who just plain got out when the "mercenary" partners started taking over.

Yes those real true Partners, who gave FF true fame along with the reputation of a loyal and kind firm ,who are now either retired or left FF, made money and fame but they never forgot the 'little' people who helped them achieve the money and fame and worked hard along beside them. They used their God given talent for being a lawyer as it should have been used and never abused the staff. Always a friendly smile, a heart felt thank you for a job well done, that milk of human kindness that one in hard pressed to find in the lawyers of FFNY today! Literally non-existent once the mercenary ones took over!

People who become caught up in 'themselves and their own self importance and power they have over people forget that a Superior Being gave them that talent upon birth and can just as easily take it away somewhere down the road in life. People receive back from life what they put into life - over time life will catch up with them and they will receive back two fold if they misuse that which was given to them to help others.

Everyone in this world wants money to help make life easier for themselves in caring for family, paying bills or the luxuries in life. But once it becomes their God it then turns into Greed and Greed is the root of all evil. People are given Power over others, some use it as kind and benevolent leaders but when they abuse that Power over others then the Power Corrupts.

What good does it do to Conquer the World if you lose your soul along the way!

#45 What are you talking about running FF in the European manner? This massacre began when our European, Spendthrift joined the firm.