DLA Piper Chicago Cancels Christmas/Staffers
In what could be a trend, DLA Piper has canceled the holiday party for their Chicago office. The move is similar to Fried Frank’s decision to scrap their holiday festivities, but there is no indication on whether DLA intends to donate any of their party money to charity (as Fried Frank did).
Spokespeople for DLA Piper did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
It’s not just the legal community that’s scaling back on holiday cheer. Yesterday, Barclays announced they were canceling their holiday party too. For a complete list of the financial firms that have gone Grinch, see our sister site, Dealbreaker.
The holiday party is just one notch on the ever tighter belt. More after the break.
You’ll remember that Fried Frank canceled their holiday festivities at the same time that we learned about their cutting bonuses for administrative staff. DLA Piper might be taking that cost cutting maneuver one step further. A tipster reports that DLA Piper fired 15 staffers from their Chicago office today.
Would somebody please catch the one-armed man who is killing off all the jobs in Chicago?
RUGGED CHICAGO LAWYER: I didn’t screw up my job.PASSIONLESS CHICAGO HIRING PARTNER: I don’t care.
(Rugged Chicago Lawyer jumps off cliff with giant flushing sound in the background.)
So, let’s officially update the list of cities you want to avoid at all costs if you are looking for legal employment:
San Francisco: Unemployed lawyers now outnumber used Rice-A-Roni boxes.
Charlotte: Will need to rediscover agrarian economy roots. Secession soon to follow.
Chicago: No West Coast cool; no East Coast cachet; no Canadian safety net. Mike Ditka isn’t walking through that door.
…
Where you at D.C.? There’s always room for one more.
BarcLehs Cancels Christmas [Dealbreaker]
Earlier: Nationwide Layoff Watch: Bell Boyd Confirms Layoffs
Fried Frank Turns Holiday Party into a Robin Hood Affair
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first Go BLue
First!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
First
Hi
First!
i'm feeling pretty sixy
DDDDDDDDDDDDAAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMMMMM!!
i'm feeling pretty sixy
Thus begins the War on Christmas...
How is the Wal-mart of firms weathering this storm?
I'm not really too shocked that a firm like DLA Piper is going things like cancelling Christmas [sic] parties. First of all, that place is huge (even if the Chicago office isn't totally colossal). There are a lot of fools there (within the partnership, too) from the various past mergers, people who aren't very good lawyers and don't have much business. I hear that the good associates have to fight the crappy partners to get work from the rainmakers. Now that times are going to be slow, it doesn't surprise me that they are looking for ways to cut costs.
Did they fire any attorneys?
anyone think it odd that annoucement pertains only to chicago office and not firm overall? or at least, just its US offices? is chicago that much worse off than its other brethrens?
DDDDDDDDDDDDAAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMMMMM!!
17th and brrr this Grinch is cold.
Da bears. Da bulls.
Title for Dealbreaker's article is AWESOME!
War On Company-Sponsored Drunken Inter-Office Groping Continues
Once Boyd, Bell, Lloyd and Mongloid starting letting people go DLA figured that news gave them cover to Grinch it out!
I heard a rumor that DLA did stealth layoffs, of associates and staff, in their San Diego/La Jolla office last week.
No associates were fired. The staffers were also supposed to have been let go already, no idea why it happened today.
No associates were fired. The staffers were also supposed to have been let go already, no idea why it happened today.
These parties are expensive. If cancelling this thing can save someone's job, it's worth it.
These parties are expensive. If cancelling this thing can save someone's job, it's worth it.
I'd settle for some popcorn and a smoothie.
I never heard of DLA Piper prior to this posting.
Now I looked up their website and it appears to be a middle of the road, BS firm.
WTF?
Don't firms budget these things in way in advance. Not to mention putting down deposits with the venues. My V10 sends invitations further in advance then this cancellation notice.
Wonder why law firms are not asking associates to take a 25 percent pay cut in exchange for keeping their jobs?
I would assume that many attorneys, especially those of the Thelen ilk, would have all been too happy to accept such an offer.
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/banking_and_finance/article5023736.ece
That's funny stuff, 18.
That's even funier stuff, 27.
funnier
DC layoffs? DC's the new center of the financial world (thank you, nationalization of entire sectors of economy).
Try Boston and Atlanta. Crashing hard.
hey 27, sure but partners first - leadership and all that.
7 &14, you are annoying. Stop it.
hey 33, no you are annoying for paying attention to me.
33 I agree. 34 you are annoying
Chicago should only be added to the list with a caveat:
Stay away if you're going to a TTT firm.
No elite Chicago shop has been in the news for layoffs or for canceled parties.
And yes, Jenner is absolutely TTfuckingT
36 - What does TTT mean and which Chicago firms do you consider elite?
Skadden Chicago rules the roost.
Elie,
I think you get a bad wrap most of the time, but are you KIDDING ME? ATL is now reporting on canceled Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa parties?
37:
If you don't know what it means, you are TTT.
Elite big Chicago shops are basically Kirkland and Sidley. Mayer used to be, but are in the toilet right now. Skadden and Latham are respectable, but are not the hometown boys so get a little less recognition.
#40:
What about WILDMAN HARROLD?
DLA-NY = worst office/firm ever. 2Ls: only go to this firm if you don't mind a 66% chance at getting an offer.
42=DLA castoff.
I am definitely not too surprised. First of all, some of the posts above wonder about whether Chicago is indicative of DLA broadly. Chicago is not "totally colossal" but it is one of their biggest and most important offices. Furthermore, DLA's business hasn't exactly been booming this year, so though the Christmas party isn't big news, it's still indicative of a larger trend (a bad one). I've heard complaints from summers at many DLA offices, including Chicago, that business was slow, work was hard to find, and everyone looked bored. Maybe this is just a sign that DLA expanded too fast, and now doesn't have the depth necessary to weather the economic storm. I definitely wouldn't sign on for a job with DLA Chicago or any other DLA office right now.
Reed Smith also canceled its Christmas party firm wide. It seams like, in these trying times, this is the year to have a party and help people feel happy if you can.
*experiencing tremors of desolation and desperation as DLA Chicago is removed from the mail merge file*
- nervous T-10 1L
"Maybe this is just a sign that DLA expanded too fast, and now doesn't have the depth necessary to weather the economic storm. I definitely wouldn't sign on for a job with DLA Chicago or any other DLA office right now."
Wow. All this from one office (of a firm with thousands and thousands of attorneys world-wide) canceling a party? Can you do a reading for me? (pressing palm to screen)
I work at DLA Piper in Chicago and they laid off about 10-15 people in September (staff and paralegals) and they laid off about 15-20 secretaries in the last two weeks. Word is that there will be layoffs after the new year when the associates' review come out and it will be blamed on performance instead of the economy.
SkaddenChicago is in tatters.
Guys in my high school used to throw expensive parties all the time, it was no big deal.
47 - I think that it's a little more than just a canceled party. It's pretty common knowledge that DLA (nearly across the board) had a very low offer rate at the end of this past summer. So I agree with 44 when s/he says " I definitely wouldn't sign on for a job with DLA Chicago or any other DLA office right now."
48, thanks for the insight. Their UK branches may do the same?
Does anyone have any incite into other cities around the mid-west (Minneapolis, Milwaukee)?
I'm glad I married someone rich and stopped practicing law -
Signed TTT grad
53,
Milwaukee market is gagging on economy downturn. No one except Foley can really afford the salaries that get paid in that city.
Orrick stealth layoffs
I work at DLA Chicago too and the firm never announced that there would be no holiday party this year. There were rumors only. It's sad that I have to get confirmation through ATL but grateful that ATL offers transparency into this industry!
I love the "nervous T-10 IL" and the "guys at my high school" dudes. Cracks me up everytime.
I love the "nervous T-10 IL" and the "guys at my high school" dudes. Cracks me up everytime.
58 - me too - they comment on every damn post
58 - me too - they comment on every damn post
I love nervous t-10 1l. I also love cancer, dead puppies, and nazis
I love nervous t-10 1l. I also love cancer, dead puppies, nazis, and Bart Winokur
Skadden Chicago is sitting pretty.
Skadden Chicago is weighing all of its options so as to arrive at a solution that will benefit all employees, associates, and partners as a whole.
DLA trouble: real estate and finance, the main practice of its Chicago office, were hit hardest. Plus they recently took on numerous lateral partners who claimed they had big books (based on the good years) and asked for huge guaranteed compensations but as you know, they have not been performing well.
DLA trouble: real estate and finance, the main practice of its Chicago office, were hit hardest. Plus they recently took on numerous lateral partners who claimed they had big books (based on the good years) and asked for huge guaranteed compensations but as you know, they have not been performing well.
DLA trouble: real estate and finance, the main practice of its Chicago office, were hit hardest. Plus they recently took on numerous lateral partners who claimed they had big books (based on the good years) and asked for huge guaranteed compensations but as you know, they have not been performing well.
DC is a bomb waiting to explode- especially Skadden. Rumor has it that Skadden DC has replaced their soft toilet paper with a sandpaper like generic brand alternative. This is clearly a desperate, and likely futile, attempt to save Skadden DC from its ultimate demise. :(
Wow, what a loser firm. I'm glad I work at S&C, which is FLUSH WITH CASH, has been on EVERY big deal coming out of the credit crisis, and is filled with partners and associates who drop more money during the average night out than a DLA Piper guy spends in a year. ALL HAIL THE KINGS!
26 - yes firms budget way in advance, but these parties can easily cost 100grand or more. Even if the firm put a 10,000 deposit down, it's probably worth it to cancel and lose that money rather than spend thousands more to have the party.
45 - yea, times are tough and a party would be nice. but who wants a party that costs the firm as much as a staffer's salary or a couple bonuses when so many firms are forced to make layoffs and eliminate or reduce holiday bonuses.
This happened a month ago -- way to be on top of things, Elie.
This happened a month ago -- way to be on top of things, Elie.
Say what you will about Latham and Skadden Chicago. We still have our jobs at two of the best international firms on the planet.
Dear Elie:
OMG THAT RICE-A-RONI JOKE WAS HILARIOUS!!!!! KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!!!! LOL LOL LOL!!!!!
Man, do you suck.
Please, someone start a thread about the Boston market. I have to think that it's going the way of Boston Market - oversaturated (too many locations), product not enough in demand, fleeing customers, etc.
Is anyone from Beantown able to weigh in?
76 - The Boston Market has a Halloween special going on right now. Half a roast chicken and a side of creamed corn for only 8.99!
76 - The Boston Market has a Halloween special going on right now. Half a roast chicken and a side of creamed corn for only 8.99!
Troutman Sanders also cancelled their holiday party.
78/79 - Obviously my attempt to pre-empt the lame and brainless joke anticipated by my post has failed. Congratulations for being That Guy.
74:
40 here. Skadden and Latham are awesome places to work in Chi. I'm just sayin that they don't get the same name recognition in the city as "elite" as the hometown shops.
I interviewed with both and thought both were great.
DLA Piper = worthless mish-mash build-a-firm
DLA Piper = worthless mish-mash build-a-firm
Chicago is one of DLA's biggest offices. If they are canceling the Christmas party, that means the firm as a whole is GOING DOWN. The firm lost its biggest rainmaker just a few moths ago (Amy Schulman). Also, it is common knowledge that the firm has no quality control over its lawyers -- they expanded for the sake of expanding -- and, in so doing, they acquired a bunch of IDIOTS. Only good thing about this horrible market -- cream (like S&C) rises to the top, and others (like DLA) drown.
Chicago is one of DLA's biggest offices. If they are canceling the Christmas party, that means the firm as a whole is GOING DOWN. The firm lost its biggest rainmaker just a few moths ago (Amy Schulman). Also, it is common knowledge that the firm has no quality control over its lawyers -- they expanded for the sake of expanding -- and, in so doing, they acquired a bunch of IDIOTS. Only good thing about this horrible market -- cream (like S&C) rises to the top, and others (like DLA) drown.