Dechert Ices 72 Staff Positions
We started getting reports this morning that Dechert let go a number of secretaries and legal assistants. But the numbers from our tipsters were low, very low. The Legal Intelligencer just reported that Dechert has in fact laid off an amazing 72 staffers.
A firm spokeswoman confirmed that Dechert has laid off 72 administrative staff across its U.S. offices. She wouldn’t get into details about which positions or how many in each office, but said the cuts were basically proportionate across the firm’s 11 U.S. offices.The 72 administrative positions account for about 12.6 percent of the firms 570 U.S. staff members. Dechert has around 1,045 attorneys firmwide and the spokeswoman said there are no plans to cut any more staff or any attorneys based on what they know at this time.
An attorney tipster moves straight to the problem associates at Dechert are all worried about:
[I]t’s not like we can have less secretaries unless there are less lawyers…
Dechert has come to the layoff buffet early and often. In October, there was a lot of contention about how many attorneys Dechert has been stealthily getting rid of. At least the staff layoffs are being properly announced.
But then again, Dechert staff also got to feel a little bit of that “Dechert style” on their way out the door. More after the jump.
Amazingly, Dechert still claims all is well:
According the spokeswoman, the firm’s attorney headcount is about steady compared to this time last year. She confirmed that it is still the firm’s position that it may see declines in some of its key financial indicators at the end of 2008, but would come out better than most firms.
Anybody else want to stipulate that Dechert will “come out better than most firms?” What if we controlled for “firms that need to lay off 72 or more people,” would that increase Dechert’s chances of being “better?”
Attorneys started to find out that their secretaries had been axed this morning. Not through formal firm-wide communication, but through frantic calls from laid off colleagues.
Nice way to start a morning.
Those tipsters report that the staff was given no notice before they were fired, and a five-week severance package. As one tipster put it:
They did it in their typical Dechert way - the secretaries just disappear and nobody gives anyone any explanation. None of the attorneys even knew their secretaries were being fired. Morale is really low right now. Management is so underhanded and it makes everyone feel insecure.
In fact, Dechert wouldn’t even give the departing staff the dignity of tying the layoffs to the financial crisis. The Intelligencer reports:
She wouldn’t say specifically whether the cuts were economic or performance based. She said only that the firm made cuts in order to “operate more efficiently and address the overcapacity we have” that she attributed to an increase in productivity that had led to those hires. Dechert has had the overcapacity for a while, she said, but now needs to look carefully at all facets of its management as it moves into 2009.
Read the full Intelligence report here (subscription). Good luck (former) Dechert employees. Good luck current Dechert employees. When the market turns around, you know what to do.
Dechert Lays Off 72 Staff in U.S [The Legal Intelligencer] (subscription).
Earlier: Update: Dechert CEO Winokur Indirectly Responds to ATL
(142) Comments
Comments
foyst beootches
foyst beootches
FIRST! And PEANUTS and CHEESE!
Way to get rid of those big salaries, Dechert. I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that the terminated staff weren't given 6 months to a year to find other employment before you axed them, ass wipes.
Decherttt
BITCH SPREAD THE BUTT CHEEKS SO I CAN SMELL THE JUICY INSIDES!!!!
"[I]t's not like we can have less secretaries unless there are less lawyers..."
Not true. Many secretaries work for multiple associates.
It's not like we can have *fewer* secretaries without *fewer* lawyers. Grammar, tipster!
"layoff buffet"
Seriously, does EVERYTHING have to be about food?
Nice timing. Way to show that holiday spirit, Dechert!
Less = amount, Fewer = number
Fewer secretaries, fewer attorneys, less overhead.
Sorry - a pet peeve of mine. I always praise those few groceries that get it right in the express lane signs!
8--That seems to me a perfectly reasonable and grammatical way to convey the tipster's point.
lol @ all the biglawyers losing their jobs. Welcome to TTT land!
Lat/Elie - please remove post number 6 and similar posts on future threads. Not offensive, just really, really annoying and not funny in any way.
this firm is despicable...why would any law student accept their offer
"[I]t's not like we can have less secretaries unless there are less lawyers..."
FEWER, not less. Fewer is used for countable nouns. 'Attorney tipster' needs a grammar refresher course.
wow, a bunch of good news today. let's keep it going for the rest of the week.
14- Removing the comments will only ensure that more of the same will be posted. Be an adult and just pay it no mind.
It's not "less secretaries," it's "fewer secretaries." There aren't less secretaries unless they are shrinking or losing body parts. Learn grammar.
So, I've thought for a long time that people need to get lives that bitch Elie out for his numerous numerous typos and grammatical errors, but jesus man, do you even read through your posts once before posting them???
Holy shit, I can almost understand the annoying need to correct Elie when so many mistakes are made, but correcting a tipster? Please STFU.
"Lat/Elie - please remove post number 6 and similar posts on future threads. Not offensive, just really, really annoying and not funny in any way."
That's why it is funny. It's the one thing that's so stupid that it annoys even Gen Y.
16/19: but what would COUNT LAYOFFULA say?
16/19: but what would COUNT LAYOFFULA
can someone make a biglaw lotto-ball machine, with the firm's top-100 vault rankings representing their numbers. you could post drawings every day at 2:30.
Jesus, what a grim news day.
The less/fewer controversy is quite simply non existent. See http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/003775.html
Dechert is just paving the way for attorney firings to come in late January or sooner, best estimate at this time is about 25 to 30 firmwide, if you work at Dechert and will not meet your hours this calendar year I suggest you get ready, the axe is ready.
Dechert is just paving the way for attorney firings to come in late January or sooner, best estimate at this time is about 25 to 30 firmwide, if you work at Dechert and will not meet your hours this calendar year I suggest you get ready, the axe is ready.
There should be less posts about all the grammar from people who don't write good.
It will get a lot worse, 26. Dechert will have no more than 80% of the attorneys that it has now by this time next year.
great. larrabee gets to find his inner twatwaffle again.
Does anyone know if it is "less" secretaries or "fewer" secretaries? Links to arcane websites with more information would be much appreciated!
28/29, it will be more than 30, by a fair margin.
13 - i agree with you.
the middle class is disappearing. the already enormous gap between rich and poor is widening and it's hitting some of those who thought they were safe just because they went to a better school or whatever. good luck folks. us TTTer's have been there.
31 = MANGINA
Long Live Robert Baker!!!
How are those half-Skadden bonuses and pay freezes looking now, you spoiled brats? Think the Dechert staff would agree to no bonus and a pay freeze in exchange for their jobs?
is "ices" really necessary.
look, this economic crisis is hitting a lot of people. i understand that as a "journalist" (and i use the term loosely), you feel the need to make the story sound sexier, but it seems sexy is in poor taste.
we know some of these people, we may be some of these people. a little respect and less journalistic flair.
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Yea, speaking as one of the "laid off" secretaries at Dechert... the administrative people have no class. The fact that they still had the Christmas party LESS than a week ago, and then fired myself and 13 other secretaries (from the nyc office) today... right before the Holidays, nonetheless... a complete lack of class.
The administrative people did not warn any of my attorneys- no attorneys were warned at all.
Nice that they fired hard-working people, and not the slackers at the firm. There are crazy people there, who have thrown fits, hurled themselves onto the floor, pulling the supervisor down with them, screaming as if they were being murdered... and they still work there... amazing. Maybe I should had gone out in a blaze of insanity.
Oh, also, we only got FOUR weeks, not FIVE. I suppose I should be grateful for something, but w/e. That firm is going under- all those Dechert people reading this who are still there- send your resumes out ASAP!!
hai guyz, I hear there was a grammatical error in this post; perhaps we could dedicate several paragraphs to aimless ill-informed discussion of it?
Can't there just be weekly consolidated updates (or even biweekly - are they really that important?) on firings from TTT firms - it seems like ATL is using these easy stories to fill so as to not do actual work
Yea, speaking as one of the "laid off" secretaries at Dechert... the administrative people have no class. The fact that they still had the Christmas party LESS than a week ago, and then fired myself and 13 other secretaries (from the nyc office) today... right before the Holidays, nonetheless... a complete lack of class.
The administrative people did not warn any of my attorneys- no attorneys were warned at all.
Nice that they fired hard-working people, and not the slackers at the firm. There are crazy people there, who have thrown fits, hurled themselves onto the floor, pulling the supervisor down with them, screaming as if they were being murdered... and they still work there... amazing. Maybe I should had gone out in a blaze of insanity.
Oh, also, we only got FOUR weeks, not FIVE. I suppose I should be grateful for something, but w/e. That firm is going under- all those Dechert people reading this who are still there- send your resumes out ASAP!!
Less discussion on grammar and fewer posts about grammatical mistakes would be nice . . . :P
ices? Wow, that IS cold!
43 - how are things looking from your ivory tower? The law firm world is crashing around you, and you don't want to be bothered by having to read about it in a blog?
7- If each assistant supports 3 attorneys and you fire a bunch of assistants, do you really think that means the assistants who are left are just going to start supporting more attorneys? In the short term, sure, but mass staff layoffs don't bode well for associates...
Yea, speaking as one of the "laid off" secretaries at Dechert... the administrative people have no class. The fact that they still had the Christmas party LESS than a week ago, and then fired myself and 13 other secretaries (from the nyc office) today... right before the Holidays, nonetheless... a complete lack of class.
The administrative people did not warn any of my attorneys- no attorneys were warned at all.
Nice that they fired hard-working people, and not the slackers at the firm. There are crazy people there, who have thrown fits, hurled themselves onto the floor, pulling the supervisor down with them, screaming as if they were being murdered... and they still work there... amazing. Maybe I should had gone out in a blaze of insanity.
Oh, also, we only got FOUR weeks, not FIVE. I suppose I should be grateful for something, but w/e. That firm is going under- all those Dechert people reading this who are still there- send your resumes out ASAP!!
well at least these associates won't have to give $100/year for these 72 secretaries that were laid off
Lat/Elie - Please remove all comments that request the removal of comments.
WHO CARES...., Shouldn't we be talking about Cadwalader's e-greeting instead?
Blahblablah. Every day there are at least three new posts about law firm layoffs. Blahblahblah. Since when were law firms insulated from the broader economy. It's only going to get worse. Trust me. Heads will roll in the next two months once firm's get a better idea of fiscal year revenue. Partners are going to be pissed their firms didn't hit projections and heads will role, namely associates and secretaries and other support staff. Heads will roll, so get your head ready. I suggest a third world country for a year. You can ride out the shitty economy till it gets better and the cost of living will be low low low.
Did your lawyers give you holiday thank-you gifts prior to your being laid off? Given the awful timing of being laid off right before the holiday, I sincerely hope they did so.
So sorry for you -- hope your holiday isn't completely ruined...
The comments section is a trainwreck lately, the kind of chaos you'd only expect in end of times.
I see fresh asses lined up
The comments section is a trainwreck lately, the kind of chaos you'd only expect in end of times.
Did not get any gifts from my lawyers before my firing... I would like to believe I would had received something- I was hoping for $$, considering their pockets are much more padded than mine, and they're aware of it.... but now I'll never know.
Sucks, things will be tight for a bit- but I'm not going to look for another law firm job. Out of every job I've had, Dechert was the shadiest, most underhanded business I've ever worked for.
This firm is despicable
Did not get any gifts from my lawyers before my firing... I would like to believe I would had received something- I was hoping for $$, considering their pockets are much more padded than mine, and they're aware of it.... but now I'll never know.
Sucks, things will be tight for a bit- but I'm not going to look for another law firm job. Out of every job I've had, Dechert was the shadiest, most underhanded business I've ever worked for.
Maybe all the upheaval will force a business model change in law firms. I think it's ripe for the elimination of the billable hour. Reward efficiency and clients will love it.
Secretaries? On MY Above the Law? Apparently it's more likely than I thought.
47 - I don't mean to suggest that I am above it at all (in fact it is very important information to me at this time), but I just think a consolidated post would be more efficient (like every Friday or something). Is there a pressing need for the readers of the blog to know that a very small percent of people were laid off from x or y firm (during a terrible recession) the second that it happens? I think that the bonus posts could be consolidated too. We know what the market rate is so I don't think we need a whole post declaring that a firm has matched it. I just think it's an inefficient use of the editors' time when there is a lot of law-related news out there.
Way to make my Dechert!
Dechert.....Yet another reason as to why Philly is TTT.
Maybe they were fired in time to get the electronic holiday card from Barton and the two other Winokurs.
Stay classy Bart.
50 YOU are a douche!
Is this AIPAC's fault?
43/63 - I would rather know this info before it becomes old news. Maybe a daily digest -- but anything less frequent would make the news stale. And with so many firms laying off, it's clear that a weekly entry would sadly be verrrrry looooong.
-47
63, the only important law-related news right now is layoffs.
44, I want to hear more about the person screaming and rolling around on the floor. Please indulge.
41/44: are the "crazy people" whom you referred to fellow staff members (secretaries, paralegals, clerks, et al)? I've seen my share of attorneys and staff who have behaved reprehensibly while retaining their jobs, though I haven't seen the level of physical assaults which you apparently have observed.
Businesses reserve the legal right to be cruel and callous while reducing staff count , but it's NOT a good business practice. Dechert's leadership team handled this very poorly.
The fleecey goodness of my sheep will keep me warm, safe and very very happy during the probable Biglaw nuclear winter poised to fall upon us.
"[I]t's not like we can have less secretaries unless there are less lawyers..."
"Less" secretaries and lawyers? Oy vey. I think that tipster is right to be worried.
58/60 - I wouldn't be surprised if you got holiday gifts anyway. I know when my old firm fired staff close to the holidays a few years ago, that's what the associates did.
70/71-
The crazy, rolling on the floor and screaming person IS a secretary at Dechert... still. She was apparently not affected by this massive lay-off, nor was she let go when she should had been, back when we were still at 30 Rock. All of the attorneys I worked for then spoke to the administrative people, because they were worried for their safety and the safety of the other secretaries. Of course, admin did nothing about it.... except move her down the hall to sit by other secretaries.
In my opinion, and the opinion of anyone I've relayed this story too, it has to do with the fact that she's black, and that she'll threaten a law suit.
Well, she threatened another secretary, took 2 hr lunches, came in a hour late, always claimed to be busy yet would be snoring at her desk, showed up in housecoats and sweatsuits to work, and physically assaulted our supervisor.
But she's still there. I am not.
Isn't anyone going to correct the commenter who said "...and then fired myself and 13 other secretaries"???? Or don't you care about reflexive pronouns?
Dechert sounds like "an agency far, far more secret than the CIA"...people just get "disappeared." I have a mental image of Bart W. throwing a black bag over the head of a secretary before she's dragged down the hall into the freight elevator, while paralegals and mail room clerks look on in stunned horror.
Your vote counts! What do you think the percent chance is that a significant number (more than 20) of associates at Dechert will be "relieved of their day to day responsibilities" and given 3 months to seek "alternative opportunities" during the first half of January?
Mine: 80%
hey 76, go fuck yourself. Who gives a shit about the grammar?
You don't necessarily have to reduce the number of lawyers if you reduce the number of staff members. At a minimum, staff support more than one lawyer, and in many cases, several. My secretary works with 2 partners and 2 counsel, but I don't use her beyond expense reimbursements and billing. Our paralegals support large numbers, depending on the group. Even in a busier time, I bet the staff was not maxed out -- and a lot of junior associates do not need that much secretarial support -- a pool would work fine.
Add to that reduced amounts of work for lawyers, and you have need for even fewer staff members.
Last, realize that other than paralegals, staff make things run and make our lives easier (well, most do), but they don't bill. So a firm that can get by with less will certainly try.
I don't support staff lay-offs, esp. during the holiday season and in a down economy, but the incredulous tipster who thinks firms can't survive with fewer staff members is naive. Without enough work, not everyone is that busy.
I really hate the "TTT" thing. It permits otherwise witless dolts to add it to any name that already has a "T" in it, post it while thinking it somehow makes them witty creative people, and thus waste my time.
It's also a dead giveaway that whoever posted it only wishes they were at that good of a firm/school/whatever.
Wow Liz. Really classing it up there. You should probably get off ATL and start the job hunt.
Dechert. "Consistently the most TTT firm out there not named CWT."
I love how the attorneys didn't know their secretaries were laid off. Just try and get your expense reports filled out now? Heller did the same thing. Albeit 2 years before they closed. But, it doesn't look good.
75 - The secretary that still has a job must have been "banging the big boss"!
Hey 82, you can go fuck yourself too. I have the day off, why do you care what I'm doing with my time. If you're gonna call me out, why not have the balls to lay your name on the line.
And don't worry about my job hunt, I've got that covered. :)
The Douche Patrol is the greatest thing to ever happen to the comments section.
I really don't think it was a race issue. She is obviously mental and she could sue for that reason if they let her. However, I think you gave reason for your being let go. Stop being so damn ignorant.
I really don't think it was a race issue. She is obviously mental and she could sue for that reason if they let her. However, I think you gave reason for your being let go. Stop being so damn ignorant.
I really don't think it was a race issue. She is obviously mental and she could sue for that reason if they let her. However, I think you gave reason for your being let go. Stop being so damn ignorant.
I love how the attorneys did not know their secretaries were being laid off. Heller did the same thing. Albeit 2 years before they closed. But, it doesn't look good. I remember 1 partner was outraged and made a few calls to get his secretary and paralegal back. Only time I ever saw a partner stand up to the "management". Anyway, good luck to you all and get your resume out as soon as you can. This is not going to get any better.
75 - The secretary that still has a job must have been "banging the big boss"! Unbelievable. I would think her behavior would be considered "hostile work environment."
I really don't think it was a race issue. She is obviously mental and she could sue for that reason if they let her. However, I think you gave reason for your being let go. Stop being so damn ignorant.
79, dearest... I don't care about the grammar. I was only wondering why the grammar nazis didn't jump on that particular lapse. I applaud your disregard of manners and decent vocabulary along with anyone's freestyle grammar. I indulge in such vices also. Well. Maybe not the manners thing... but you seem to have that covered for both of us.
Sorry about the multiple posts. This site is so aggravating sometimes.
Sorry about the multiple posts. This site is so aggravating sometimes.
I love how the attorneys did not know their secretaries were being laid off. Heller did the same thing. Albeit 2 years before they closed. But, it doesn't look good. I remember 1 partner was outraged and made a few calls to get his secretary and paralegal back. Only time I ever saw a partner stand up to the "management". Anyway, good luck to you all and get your resume out as soon as you can. This is not going to get any better.
75 - The secretary that still has a job must have been "banging the big boss"! Unbelievable. I would think her behavior would be considered "hostile work environment."
Sorry about the multiple posts. This site is so aggravating sometimes.
Sorry about the multiple posts. This site is so aggravating sometimes.
I also love how people point out grammar mistakes under the guise of not caring about grammar mistakes, then get all passive aggressive when someone calls them on it.
"Misspelling a word on a legal blog is like cutting yourself in a room full of vampires."
Ugh, I would like to not ever imagine that woman doing anything sexual with anyone.
And I'm actually not being ignorant, I'm being perceptive and thinking like a sinking law firm scared to be sued...
And seriously Rachel, you should focus on your own work before you get fired as well.
Hear Hear 80.
Most lawyers I know do not use their secretaries for more than print jobs and expenses. Departmental secretarial pools overseen by task managers, who can track progress of job requests, sounds a lot more efficient. The assignment system of 3-4 secretaries per lawyer is outdated and inefficient. I don't think too many people dictate a memo into a recorder anymore.
EighTTTy-one.
I know -- been there --- 6 prima dona attorneys to each secretary -- can't leave the desk if team mate is gone in case a call is missed (even to go to the bathroom) including internal calls to ask about lunch -- humiliation -- greed -- blame -- HUGE attorney lunch budgets -- terrible staff reviews for impossible jobs -- I think the ship is sinking fast now -- it was sinking when I swam for land. Trust me -- those Dechert secretaries don't just do print jobs and file their nails -- there are days when the sweat rolls off your face there, and the redness from humiliation burns the skin off your face. And not one of the attorneys could possibly fit their foot into a glass slipper .......
I know -- been there --- 6 prima dona attorneys to each secretary -- can't leave the desk if team mate is gone in case a call is missed (even to go to the bathroom) including internal calls to ask about lunch -- humiliation -- greed -- blame -- HUGE attorney lunch budgets -- terrible staff reviews for impossible jobs -- I think the ship is sinking fast now -- it was sinking when I swam for land. Trust me -- those Dechert secretaries don't just do print jobs and file their nails -- there are days when the sweat rolls off your face there, and the redness from humiliation burns the skin off your face. And not one of the attorneys could possibly fit their foot into a glass slipper .......
The now-standard pedantry about less/fewer is in fact one of the many false "rules" that have recently precipitated out of the over-saturated solution of linguistic ignorance where most usage advice is brewed.
75, I feel your pain. I'm an associate who just found out my secretary got laid off and there was no reason for her to be let go. She was efficient while at times handling 11 attorneys without complaining. And she did much more than just expense reports, at least for me.
Administration is full of uneducated dumb-asses who live off making others feel like crap. My secretary used to get harassed over the most mundane issues and used to just shrug it off. And as for the "crazy" lady who's still with the firm, I heard her story and yes, Dechert was afraid of a law suit.
I know for a fact that Dechert's administrative personnel told one woman she should not tan as much as she does because she was getting "too dark", and she shouldn't wear her hair natural(ly curly) because it looked "nappy." Two days later there was a firm-wide email that asked if any of us knew of any "racially charged remarks" that had been made by staff. So your claims are not that far-fetched.
Bottom line? Dechert sucks and we're all in trouble here.
Since there are secretaries on this thread - what is appropriate as an associate to ask a secretary to do?
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Unzipping dresses at the Christmas party? Sign me up! You've elevated Dechert to another tier...
First time post. I'm a senior attorney type. Female. Worked at NYC whiteshoe firms, small fims, in-house, etc. Dechert, like every place I've ever worked, has its share of loonies and its share of good people. No different from every other firm.
Maybe that sounds scary, but that's life.
107 -- anal is mandatory.
107 -- anal is mandatory.
58--does it bother you at all that A&O's COLA is very low compared to U.S. firms over there and that it expires after 3-4 years. Cravath pays 110K COLA--whoops, 60 now after the pound's devaluation. Still more than A&O.
Times like these, I'm glad I'm a plaintiff's lawyer: in this economy people want to have surgery for their injuries- it ain't like they will be missing time from work.
i hope and pray these layoffs end soon but my guess is biglaw will see total reductions/firings of 3000-5000 associates in the vault 50 by the end of June 2009. some will be bona fide performance based, but many will be due to the economy. you can quote me on that.
I wonder if one of the people screaming and rolling on the floor would be Matt Larrabee? Maybe not now, but give it time..... you've been WARNED! Ha!
I wonder if one of the people screaming and rolling on the floor would be Matt Larrabee? Maybe not now, but give it time..... you've been WARNED! Ha!
As a way of predicting what might be in store for Dechert associates, it would be interesting to know how many of the laid-off secretaries were litigation v. corporate v. FRE
106 - Dechert should be asking who made racially offensive comments. No one should have to hear that they' are too dark or their hair is nappy. That issue appears to be very different from the (former) secretary's comment that a black secretary was permitted to act "crazy" and keep her job merely because of her race. The latter is insulting and stereotypical, the former is appropriate.
Dechert is not a bad place to work .. What do you expect them to do .. not make lay offs bc of the economy and let the firm sink .. Like anywhere else there are good people and bad people that work for a firm .. I dont agree with management or the way they conduct themselves but it was their job to lay people off .. Do you really think they got joy out of it .. come on now they dont have black hearts ... Good luck to the secretaries that got laid off .. You will all be in my thoughts.
119- The first employee who was told her hair was too nappy was white.
121 - So that makes it okay? The word still has racial connotations.
No it doesn't... but it wasn't based on them being black. and I am not even sure those words were used verbatim honestly.
To those staff members who were laid off on Tuesday I feel sorry for you and hope you are able to land on your feet. To those associates (or non-equity partners without a book of business) who have not been stealth laid off yet, watch out. You are next. To those who believe they are "safe" because they have met their hours for the year. Dream on......
I know Dechert attorneys who have been stealth laid off this year who met their hours and were axed anyway. Economic layoffs, blah, blah, blah......
To the staff who were laid off, think about it, if you were laid off don't you think that at least one of the associates you used to work for has also been laid off, or will be soon? They may have been reporting to work for the last few weeks, but they have probably been staring out the windows or at the wall wondering what they hell they are supposed to do now?
If you are still "working" at Dechert (and the word "working" is being used very loosely because there is VERY LITTLE WORK at Dechert these days) you are soon to be royally screwed. You will soon be on the bread line with thousands of other associates, the only difference being is that many of them will have a head start on you in getting their resumes out to the few firms that may be still hiring.
Good luck to all Dechert employees.
To the law firm and their management.....FUCK YOU!
To those staff members who were laid off on Tuesday I feel sorry for you and hope you are able to land on your feet. To those associates (or non-equity partners without a book of business) who have not been stealth laid off yet, watch out. You are next. To those who believe they are "safe" because they have met their hours for the year. Dream on......
I know Dechert attorneys who have been stealth laid off this year who met their hours and were axed anyway. Economic layoffs, blah, blah, blah......
To the staff who were laid off, think about it, if you were laid off don't you think that at least one of the associates you used to work for has also been laid off, or will be soon? They may have been reporting to work for the last few weeks, but they have probably been staring out the windows or at the wall wondering what they hell they are supposed to do now?
If you are still "working" at Dechert (and the word "working" is being used very loosely because there is VERY LITTLE WORK at Dechert these days) you are soon to be royally screwed. You will soon be on the bread line with thousands of other associates, the only difference being is that many of them will have a head start on you in getting their resumes out to the few firms that may be still hiring.
Good luck to all Dechert employees.
To the law firm and their management.....FUCK YOU!
Dechert will soon be entering a new phase, that of bleeding the few partners with work flowing out of their law firm arteries. The few equity partners with books of business will soon be looking elsewhere, to firms with stronger balance sheets, more diversity and above all better management.
The moves by "El Duce" Bart Winokur, bringing in his SON (who was an associate at another firm) as an equity partner, the bring in of the failed former Heller chairman Matt Larrabee as a partner without first consulting the firm, the retention of nearly an entire practice group (Finance and Real Estate), even though they have no work, so that they can do pro bono work and the public relations disaster of the multiple rounds of stealth lay-offs.
All of this combined with the departure of the Vioxx cash cow will inevitably lead to much reduced PPP and a death spiral of partners with work away from Dechert.
Lots of office space will soon be available in the Cira Center.
Heller, Thelan, and next up Dechert.
The Dechert Death Spiral will soon begin.......
When will anyone at that firm wake up and kick that horse's ass, aka Bart Winokur, and his flunkies out? BW has been bad for morale for years; Dechert partners -- WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE. He's dragging all of you down with him.
Dechert is a third-rate firm that has tried for years, any way it can, to be a second-rate firm. Unfortunately, the firm management -- that is, Winokur, who wields more absolute power than your typical tinpot dictator -- is concerned only with lining its own pockets, and not with building institutional loyalty and integrity, not to mention a larger core of smart and thoughtful lawyers who value old-fashioned things like intellectual challenge and collegiality. That's why lawyers who were at Dechert for 20+ years were pushed out. Winokur's unbridled greed, coupled with his own mediocrity, have doomed the firm. Sad. A good firm taken down by a clown.
Dechert is a third-rate firm that has tried for years, any way it can, to be a second-rate firm. Unfortunately, the firm management -- that is, Winokur, who wields more absolute power than your typical tinpot dictator -- is concerned only with lining its own pockets, and not with building institutional loyalty and integrity, not to mention a larger core of smart and thoughtful lawyers who value old-fashioned things like intellectual challenge and collegiality. That's why lawyers who were at Dechert for 20+ years were pushed out. Winokur's unbridled greed, coupled with his own mediocrity, have doomed the firm. Sad. A good firm taken down by a clown.
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I heard the dechert holiday party was the most festive occasion ever. hmmmmm, lets lay off a ton of employees and then go throw a big party the following day! wow, could the firm act in a more irresponsible manner? Next will be the big new years celebration when 100 associates are let go in philly.... for performance reasons of course! its just sad really.
As one of the staff members who was laid off, can I point out that it wasn't just secretaries. A large percentage was, but other staff like various groups that fall under IT were also affected by these lay-offs.
I think everyone realizes that you can be let go from a job, but how you're let go really matters. Dechert did it the wrong way. I've talked to a few former co-workers and looking back, it is clear that admin./management has known for a while what was coming. Still, employee appreciation breakfast, bonus checks and major projects were handed down to those they knew wouldn't be around. It was all about keeping up appearances, which only makes the lay-offs feel more sinister.
One person commented asking if anyone really thought that admin. got joy out of letting people go - probably not, but again, there are better ways of doing it. A week after u have been "appreciated" and the day before the holiday party which you must RSVP, you randomly get called into a room and fed a line about reduction in work force. It's entirely abrupt.
Furthermore, being told repeatedly that it's not "performance-based" isn't nearly as comforting as management may have thought when they concocted the line; because it would at least make sense if it were based on performance.
One of the things I find most shocking is that Dechert seems to be blissfully unaware that they have a dirty brand and that the way they're proceeding isn't helping.
"Dirty brand" is right!! The name "Dechert" is a toxic joke among associates! Clock is ticking on that place . . . . Get out while you can, before Winokur is exposed as another Marc Dreier!
"Dirty brand" is right!! The name "Dechert" is a toxic joke among associates! Clock is ticking on that place . . . . Get out while you can, before Winokur is exposed as another Marc Dreier!
132 - In re whether admin "got joy out of letting people go", I can tell you that admin was actually bawling its eyes out. Sad. Not right, but sad.
Agree with everything else.
Just to make a comment the holiday party was before the layoffs
Just to make a comment the holiday party was before the layoffs
Here in DC, they had a staff appreciation holiday party on the day they fired 15 percent of the staff.
They fired them one by one, and it took so long that they had to delay the "party" until all fired staff members had been thrown out fo the building.
Dechert is like school in the summer -- no class.
136-137
What office were you in???? The firm holiday party for philly was wednesday night. everyone was fired on tuesday morning. firings happened the day BEFORE the party.. classy.
I'm not guest 136/137, but I can attest that the nyc office's holiday party was Wed the 10th and the firings at the nyc office happened tues the 16th.
I worked at Dechert as an associate (although I am no longer with the firm) and I can honestly say that there is a problem with the firm culture although this is not due to Bart's vision. In my opinion, Bart Winokur was the best thing that happened to the firm. Unfortunately, other elements came into play which have caused Dechert to steer away from that vision. These include a compilation of economic factors, certain administrative and legal hires, and the promotion of certain individuals to top decision-making places. The firm needs to begin hiring open-minded and intelligent people with integrity to change the current firm culture.
Here is a question... How on earth do es Dechert fire support staff and attorneys then turn around and hire more more associates and partners?