SECOND! HOLY SH*T!

THIRDSTY!

What about Mayer Brown you phat phuck?

Let us not forget how they no-offered 30% of their 2Ls as well; as anyone who worked at the firm this summer knows, that number is somewhat inflated as well.

Nice people at SSD, it sucks for them.

Keep posting about layoffs in third-tier markets, and just totally ignore the MASSIVE LAYOFFS AT MAYER BROWN. Keep it up.

This would never happen in Texas.

What offices other than Phoenix?

Which offices other than Phoenix?

You first, second and thirders are FUCKING irritating.

That sai, this might be the funniest thing I've heard all day: "We have completed annual reviews of all of our associates and, as a result of that process and with regret have advised some of our associates that they should explore career opportunities elsewhere and we are giving them time to do so. "

Seriously?? "Explore career opportunities elsewhere"?? Like...McD's?

Not to mention: "We're giving them the time to do so."

I get that lawyers are mealy-mouthed bastards, but STILL!

"The combination would give Seyfarth a coveted foothold in Bratislava."

Slovakia is awesome for a few reasons, but I had no idea it was a "coveted" legal market.

I've heard that there were lay-offs today at Mayer Brown, Fried Frank, and Sidley.

I've heard that there were lay-offs today at Mayer Brown, Fried Frank, and Sidley.

Mayer Brown? Mayer Brown? Mayer fuckin Brown.

Why would a Mayor lay off his staff?

Mayer Brown! How can 20 people be able to comment on the layoffs there and yet abovethelaw is clueless?

BREAKING N00Z OMG: SIDLEY LAID OFF AUSTIN. MORE LAYOFFS TO FOLLOW.

BREAKING N00Z OMG: SIDLEY LAID OFF AUSTIN. MORE LAYOFFS TO FOLLOW.

11 - sarcasm, look it up.

For Mayer Brown, look at yesterday's post:

http://abovethelaw.com/2008/11/nationwide_layoff_watch_specul.php

There are some very interesting comments on that post too.

sidley laid off the city of austin. how many people live there. jeez. that's crazy.

MB laid off everyone with a last name starting with the letters A-M.

Does couching these as "performance-based" lessen the firm's obligation under the WARN act or whatever other obligations might attach to "lay-offs"?

There's a restaurant named Squire Rockwell's near my house. Is this a sister chain or something?

ATL blows donkey balls - where the fuck is a goddamn post on the Mayer Brown layoffs???

How much time are these people getting before the firm officially fires them or lays them off?

How about the S&P. Holy crap.

I'm glad I have a job (for now). But things aren't looking pretty around here...

Chill out about Mayer Brown.

If they are going to lay people off, I am sure they will wait until Friday.

To all the douches posting about alleged MB layoffs, perhaps you could share an insider e-mail or firm press release? B/c if not, you're just repeating rumor. And while ATL is not exactly the NYT, it does no good to "report" on unadulterated speculation. And no, this is not Elie. Or Lat.

29 - I have already sent an email to Elie but the fatso is yet to respond. Stop eating and get to work mysTTTal.

To all the douches posting about alleged MB layoffs, perhaps you could share an insider e-mail or firm press release? B/c if not, you're just repeating rumor. And while ATL is not exactly the NYT, it does no good to "report" on unadulterated speculation. And no, this is not Elie. Or Lat.

hey 29 -- pull your head out of your ass! Shit is going down/has gone down at MB! There likely won't be a memo until it's all over.

I talked to buddy there and he said 3 associates in charlotte and a couple of staff. Now as the firm in the aggregate, that will be interesting.

Question regarding choosing a firm for the summer. Would it better to work at a law firm that is less leveraged based out of Houston such as Vinson & Elkins. From the comments I have read they seem to be fairly healthy.

Other options are places like White & Case, Debevoise & Plimpton, Cleary, Baker Botts, etc. I am strongly leaning towards V&E. Also, in this market do people think it is a bad idea to split between two different firms?

I believe there was a meeting at Cooley Godward the other day re "keeping all options open", including layoffs, in the next month or so.

If Elie were a man he'd transfer the 'Petition to Fire Elie' from the community section and turn it into a real post. Or maybe even a poll. And there would probably have to be pictures of kittens.

At least it was a good day on Wall Street....

Are those laid off getting 5.5 months plus health, like Orrick, or three months, like W&C, or less?

30 is lying.

Anyway. We've got good leads. We're following those leads. Nothing is f^@&*^d here dude.
--Elie

Question regarding choosing a firm for the summer. Would it better to work at a law firm that is less leveraged based out of Houston such as Vinson & Elkins. From the comments I have read they seem to be fairly healthy.

Other options are places like White & Case, Debevoise & Plimpton, Cleary, Baker Botts, etc. I am strongly leaning towards V&E. Also, in this market do people think it is a bad idea to split between two different firms?

Question regarding choosing a firm for the summer. Would it better to work at a law firm that is less leveraged based out of Houston such as Vinson & Elkins. From the comments I have read they seem to be fairly healthy.

Other options are places like White & Case, Debevoise & Plimpton, Cleary, Baker Botts, etc. I am strongly leaning towards V&E. Also, in this market do people think it is a bad idea to split between two different firms?

any news on fried frank??

any news on fried frank??

34, any info re firm-wide, specific offices, etc.?

Nothing is f^@&*^d? The G@#!*n plane has crashed into the mountain!

40 - I'm in biglaw in NYC. Thinking of going to TX. I'd go to V&E, personally.

And I would still try to split my summer.

I had a fried frank at the airport on the way back from a depo yesterday. It was no big deal.

**This is my first ever post***

I think all this lay off stuff is so funny. Y'all go on about how HLS is better than SLS which is better than... Y'all go on about T-10 and V-10 and VE and KE and 190 or 160 (or whatever the in acronyms are).

I really don't get it. Most of you (not all) are so wrapped up in your own self importance and where you went to school and where you work you think stuff like this will never happen to you. What happened to a little bit of humility? If this board is a representation of how you approach your employment I have no sympathy at all. (Flame away)

Obviously anonymity makes your balls bigger.

A Non-US trained lawyer with no student loans (can you say socialist) who took one of your jobs.

**That was my last ever post**

Peace out!

I hear MOFO is planning something big.

Really Elie?? You feel the need to respond to juvenile taunting? Take the high road, be the bigger ma...oh, oops, sorry.

Anyway, don't let the cretins get to you, or do, go Columbine on their asses and get out of this job. Either way, posts like 38 are f-ing stupid.

49 - Any post containing a Lebowski quote cannot, under any possible circumstances, be considered "f-ing stupid."

Sincerely,
Karl Hungus

@40: I don't care what people say here about "TTT" and all that bullshit, all the firms on your list are good. If you go to Texas, take V&E over Baker--they might be the firm that outdoes everyone after this whole mess. And no, I don't work there or even in Texas. As for the others, they're all good. Once you actually start as an attorney, they'll all be fine. I think W&C and Cleary are particularly good firms.

47 - You talk about humility. Try practicing what you preach hypocrite

40 - I'm in biglaw in NYC. Thinking of going to TX. I'd go to V&E, personally.

And I would still try to split my summer.

How has Milbank -- which is a FINANCE firm -- not announced layoffs yet?

They have to be laying people off in this market, and yet there is no word....

49, I dunno, I actually kind of like it when Elie takes a stand. He is nominally in charge of this place; why shouldn't he fill us in on whether some anonymous douchebag spreading rumors is blatantly lying? The guy was insisting that he gave good info to Elie and now we know that he didn't.

29: MB PR person.

50: That would only be true if he had quoted a good movie. Hell, even a decent movie would have been fine with me rather than a useless waste of time.

What a bunch of pricks. These firms can't wait until after the holidays to do this?

Wasn't Squire supposed to merge with Seyfarth?

57 = Bitter Republican

Fried Frank laid off around 15-20 real estate associates in DC today; good people. This economy sucks.

Question regarding choosing a firm for the summer. Would it better to work at a law firm that is less leveraged based out of Houston such as Vinson & Elkins. From the comments I have read they seem to be fairly healthy.

Other options are places like White & Case, Debevoise & Plimpton, Cleary, Baker Botts, etc. I am strongly leaning towards V&E. Also, in this market do people think it is a bad idea to split between two different firms?

Question regarding choosing a firm for the summer. Would it better to work at a law firm that is less leveraged based out of Houston such as Vinson & Elkins. From the comments I have read they seem to be fairly healthy.

Other options are places like White & Case, Debevoise & Plimpton, Cleary, Baker Botts, etc. I am strongly leaning towards V&E. Also, in this market do people think it is a bad idea to split between two different firms?

58: Um, no. They can't. It's all about the year-end numbers and keeping the carnage from seeping into 2009.

I'm not a tax attorney, but I would venture that there are probably tax issues/benefits with the year-end coming up. I know my firm is desperately trying to come up with write-offs. (New computer anyone??)

47,

We thank the Good Lord that it was your Last Post!

ATL Community

58, waiting until after the holidays would cut into partner comp...duh.

45 and 51, thanks a lot for your input. I am really leaning towards V&E. They seem like a great firm (as are all the others I mentioned) and while it's hard to predict (especially as a law student who doesn't know much about the legal industry as whole) which firms are well positioned. However, from all of my research it seems V&E might be a little better positioned than other firms.

Anyways, thanks again for your honest answers.

58 -- they don't have to pay bonuses this way.

Milbank has moved some people along & out.

Do we 55? I trust Elie about as far as I can throw the fat fu#*!

Come on 49, you're being very undude. Let Elie respond in the comments if he wishes to.

60: Wow. No, not at all. I believe gay men and women should have the right to marry and have agreed to act as incubator for one of my best friends should that happy day ever come to pass for him.

I voted for Obama, ragged on Palin, laughed at McCain and wish they'd ridden Lieberman out on a rail.

Further, I live in a hippie enclave where everyone thinks I'm the "square" but it's ok because I'm more liberal than they are.

I just didn't like the movie.

57: Please leave.

Elie, this is what happens when you feed the anti-MB trolls who have, for some reason, chosen to infest this board. You went out on a limb to try to get something more concrete, referred to those comments as the "word on the street," and now all these d-bags have been encouraged and will derail the next twenty-thirty comment threads. Good job!

You don't have any "good leads," do you?

Mystal's avatar is kinda creepy.

72 - you are just an idiot then

Geez...looks like Citi is going under now too...when will it ever stop. I can't take the anticipation anymore! I bet tomorrow is going to be a pretty dark day across all the financial/legal world. Buckle up kids.

72: First lib ever who didn't like the movie. Perhaps you should re-watch.

76: Yes, because taste in movies is a precise and exacting IQ test.

Please.

Mayer McCheese

"Markets like Phoenix (and Tampa, another Squire branch location) are hurting (because of the housing market) but have not yet felt the brunt of Biglaw layoffs. "

Layoffs have hit Orlando also. At least two real estate associates and one real estate staff attorney were laid off earlier this year from Baker Hostetler.

there were definitely layoffs today in Fried Frank's real estate department.

I was fired from Mayer Brown today.

THE GODDAMN PLANE HAS CRASHED INTO THE MOUNTAIN!

Also, MysTTTal.

In response to 61, Fried Frank DC has 2 real estate associates, both of whom are still working at the firm.

33/67 (and your multiple other incarnations):
Fellow 2L here. I chose V&E (non-Houston office) for Summer 2009 over several New York-based firms. My decision was in part based on the idea that an energy-focused firm would be relatively well-positioned. I question whether that will continue to be the case as the price of oil drops precipitously. But nevertheless, I sought advice from family friends who are biglaw partners, and they agreed with my rationale. All of that being said, what really sealed the deal for me was that both the partners and associates I've interacted with at V&E have been incredibly friendly, socially normal, actually seem to be very happy with their firm. Before people jump down my throat for buying into this, let me say that as someone who recruited during September and October of this year, I came across many people at many firms who were frankly scared shitless. V&E was the exception. I accepted their offer and am hoping for the best.

Whoever posted about Fried Frank laying people off is a big liar. They have not laid anyone off, and they don't plan to.

33-
Are you a 1L talking about choosing a firm for NEXT summer? It's unconscionable that you would be a 2L and still making this decision on Nov. 20...

86, thanks glad to hear it. I am making up my mind tonight but will probably accept V&E tomorrow. Pretty happy about my decisions. Seems like a great place.

86: The V&E DC office is full of pricks. But the office itself is tres upscale. And will have a great view of the inauguration parade.

89, for the love of God tell me that you are not a 2L still holding an offer open.

90: I'm sure the view of the inauguration parade would be wonderful. An SA will not get to see that view because there is no inauguration in the summer. And I happen to like the people at V&E DC.

To #48:
"I hear MOFO is planning something big."

Please share details.

57 - if you think Lebowski is a bad film, you are not the kind of person a client should be giving any matters to. You simply have no taste, no talent, no ability to discern quality when you see it. As another said, please leave.

- The dude, abiding.

To #48:
"I hear MOFO is planning something big."

Please share details.

holy crap! even non-legal firms like this are doing layoffs???

(what business is this squianders entity in by the way? finance?)

Some people's taste is just better than yours, 94. You like American beer, sports, and stupid entertainment movies. I like imported stouts, literature, and classic cinema. So it goes.

Time to rethink my career choice.

Time to rethink my career choice.

Time to rethink my career choice.

Has ANYONE researched to know if Scquire Sandars is a REAL firm, I do not think it is real. This is propoganda and no one at MY firm is being layoffed. WHO makes $5.5 million dollars a YEAR? No one. Lets be REALISTIC about this. My managing partner insures that Indians will NOT take my job. I can ALWAYS be a famous Blawgger anyways.

anybody hear if Miami was included in the layovers, i was interviewed by a real douchebag associate during OCI, Im hoping he got fired...

How many attorneys, if any, were laid off in the Tampa office?

layed, not laid.

Squire Sanders is run by some real characters. They couldn't send out an email where they acknowledge the lay-off. Believe me, if they fess up to 30, the real number of folks who were given bogus reviews and asked to leave is a higher number.

I think the number is closer to 50 laid off. I guarantee that the vast majority laid off were not performance-related.

I think the number is closer to 50 laid off. I guarantee that the vast majority laid off were not performance-related.

The use of "performance reviews" is about the most cowardly, idiotic display I can imagine.

These geniuses expect the market to believe that all of a sudden, in one 12 mo. period, the number of poorly performing attorneys rockets up 100000% at these firms?

Anyone with half a f-ing brain clearly understands this crap to mean:

A. We're too cowardly to admit that we're in the crapper (i.e., our partners - not associates - failed to position the firm to whether the storm), so we're going to slander the performance of competent attorneys in a thin attempt at hiding our failures as a business entity, or

B. We've carried deadweight for years and billed out clients for it the entire time, and now we can't justify billing our clients for ineffective counsel.

Either way, you're left looking like a f-ing liar and a douchebag.

If you can just come out - McKee Nelson style - and say its a tough economy and we had to make cuts, but it's not the fault of our associates, then I think clients need to take a hard look at why they're doing business with these firms.

A bit difficult to shed tears for these big firms cutting staff and reducing bonuses. As an in-house lawyer I get to see the $500-$800/hr. fees these firms charge and I know my salary is lower than many 5th year attorneys even though I've been practicing for 20+ years. Maybe greed isn't good after all.

A bit difficult to shed tears for these big firms cutting staff and reducing bonuses. As an in-house lawyer I get to see the $500-$800/hr. fees these firms charge and I know my salary is lower than many 5th year attorneys even though I've been practicing for 20+ years. Maybe greed isn't good after all.

Interesting perspective 109, but I don’t get the sour grapes. You made the choice. If you had what it takes to work at a premier firm, and put up with 2,500+ billable hours and ridiculous client time constraints, you too would be earning more. As it is, you opted to go in house. Billing rates reflect market forces. If a client does not see value in the services it receives at the rate charged, the client finds another firm. The fact that your company continues to retain lawyers charging $500 to $800 per hour means those lawyers continue to deliver value. Being compensated for delivering value is not greedy.

Squire Sanders is so small time so it will probably not happen but folks should really call them out on this. Look at the wording of their press release - it is particularly cowardly. What is this BS about "some may call this a layoff..." What are they saying? It's kind of a layoff but really, these folks couldn't cut it?? Why don't they just admit that it was not for performance reasons so that these folks aren't tainted as much in their job search. What assholes.

Any news on any layoff for their san francisco office? I hope some of the more "senior" associates over there got fired! They suck!

Plus, who gives their holiday party in Feb?? And they always choose such terrible places. I wonder how much bonuses will be there this year?

Squire is the cheapest law firm. Yeah, the "holiday" party in February is pretty funny. But the inferiority complex they have over there is really the most pathetic part.

One of the female senior associate - before trial had posted pictures of opposing counsel on her wall and threw darts at them, - classy isn't it? They really do have inferiority complex there, they hate any one who went to ivy league school because they all went to Hasting (Not diss-ing Hasting btw)

One of the female senior associate - before trial had posted pictures of opposing counsel on her wall and threw darts at them, - classy isn't it? They really do have inferiority complex there, they hate any one who went to ivy league school because they all went to Hasting (Not diss-ing Hasting btw)

3 attys and one paralegal are out in Tampa. Not sure about Miami--but they need to clean house down there

117,

That's a lot of people for such a small office. Were all the associates senior associates?

This is likely targeted associate reviews normally take place in Jan/Feb at SSD. SSD moved up the reviews to Sept/Oct - seems fishy to me. I heard folks are getting 12 weeks to transition out and many of the associates targeted were the more expensive ones (i.e. mid-senior)

SSD has been conducting stealth layoffs for some time, and this just confirms that the firm is going down the crapper.