Yay for second

third!!

Bar closes at 9PM?

Not nearly enough time to get my drunk on. That is just sad. Guess I'll have to preparty.

Why aren't spouses invited?

No spouses is odd. Who's the firm? How come they didn't say?

sounds like a Skadden invite.

It's actually because the partners want a night away from work AND spouses, and they don't want young eager associates hitting on their spouses (or bored eager spouses hitting on young associates).

I'm with 4 - but probably will have to after-party if it's a workday since there might not be time to pre-game beforehand. But hey, that's why strip clubs stay open late yeah?

WIll you report on DLA's stealth layoffs already?

I have never heard of an employer that does not invite spouse to holiday parties, law firm or not.

Did you hear about the WH holiday gifts? Every year they give some sort of small gift to everyone in the NY office. This year, they started giving out gifts on Friday to associates, counsel and staff. The gifts were the NICEST EVER! A set of glasses inscribed with "From the partners at WilmerHale" After giving out a good number of them, they doubled back to the attorneys and said oh, sorry, the gifts are for staff only, you have to give it back. And they took them back! And the attorneys didn't get anything.

WTF?!?

10 --

It's a secret!

Shh! Shut up!

Lat, What firm is this?

No spouses? 9 pm cut-off? That's weak as shit.

My (apparently non-TTT) firm paid for plane tix, hotel, and sit-down banquet dinner for both my wife and I -- plus spending money for the weekend.

My (large, very well-funded) nonprofit doesn't even allow interns (who generally work 20-40 hours for free, for months) or consultants to attend our Christmas party. Unfuckingbelievably shitty.

Paul Hastings always allows guests at firm events, holiday party included. What kind of TTT firm makes you stand awkwardly and stare at the people you see 90 hours a week on your limited free time? If I have to be at "mandatory fun" I at least want to bring my girlfriend...

Great Toonces the driving cat reference.

No spouse, no sexual harassment - what am I supposed to do with myself after the party?

My firm flies all the attorneys and their spouses/significant others to the annual retreat every year. Medium sized firm in Wilmington - if we can afford it, then these big law shops are just being greedy.

Off topic, but does anyone else think that if S&C was going to just match Cravath they would have done so by now?

The more time goes by, the more I think they're going to match Skadden, and do it too late for other firms to play catch up. Just a thought.

Sounds like Baker Hostetler.

21: I think that's their plan, too. Otherwise, what possible reason for the delay.

There are several big firms that have not yet announced., including mine..I think a lot of them have the money to pay the bigger bonuses and are just waiting to see if anyone else does. (At least I hope.)

"No spouse, no sexual harassment - what am I supposed to do with myself after the party?"

Go back to your office and bill for some good doc review?

25: How 'bout a (reduced-rate) mustache ride? That'll do ya!

25: How 'bout a (reduced-rate) mustache ride? That'll do ya!

Finally! I knew if every Saturday and Sunday I still checked ATL, then one day something new would be posted. It's a Christmas miracle!

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/14/nyregion/14lawyer.html

Marc S. Dreier knew the 45th-floor conference room of Solow Realty well. He had been in it many times as a trusted lawyer for the company’s founder.

21- S&C is just waiting to see if anyone else matches Skadden. If no one does, they have no reason to waste the money. They want to encourage people to leave on their own so they don't have to be stealthily laid off. Also, they can follow Cravath and not worry about losing their ability to recruit top law students because the only firms that compete with them for HYSCCN law review students have all followed Cravath.

Not sure when we stopped calling out firms by name. If I wanted anonymous gossip in scanned pdf or whatever you think makes this "look real" format, I would have thought of something at least mildly entertaining. Whatever, this site sucks now anyhow.

31:

Amen, Mustache Rider!

No idea what firm this is, but it's not Skadden.

- Skadden associate

Someone just ripped one in the library - loud and NO ONE laughed. No one - my school sucks.

The memo came from Madoff & Dreier LLP.

34 -- That is awful. What's the point of law school if you can't laugh about it?

Let one rip yourself and see what the reaction is. See if you can start a chain reaction.

Think the baked-beans scene from Blazing Saddles.

I'm surprised by all the comments on the spouse issue. There are a lot of firms that don't invite spouses. I for one would HAPPILY prefer an in-house catered party over renting out the most expensive hotel in town so that my wife could attend. Else, I seriously have no desire to go - I see these people every day, why do I need to take more time away from my family for a holiday I don't even celebrate???

Mustache guy is the worst ATL character. Please ban this moron.

If you trim one mustache, two more will pop up.

Dear 38:

1. Hop on Mustache.
2. Ride.
3. Repeat.

37: So don't go.

Agree with 38.

42-

Mind your bizness. I am proud of my well-groomed, tasteful mustache.

43 -

STFU.

You law types are the most pathetic human beings on the planet. We're in the middle of a depression, most industries are laying people off left and right, in fact, most law firms are canceling their holiday parties ....

And you guys complain that the bar closes at 9 and you can't invite spouses???? Then don't go you whiny fucking assholes. I'm sure you've got so much better shit to do.

45--

No, the most pathetic human beings on the planet are the morons who think that posting "mustache ride" one million times in every ATL thread is somehow funny.

"Mustache ride" is only funny when its used as part of a caption on a picture of former New York Mets infielder Jose Valentin.

Jones Day NY didnt allow spouses or other guests , and I know at least 1 or 2 others didn't either.

The after party for these can be a lot of fun, but too many partners are around at the actual, official party for it to be too wild.

Screw you, 45. Those of us whe are still doing a lot of work + know that our bosses have made a lot of money despite the downturn are not obligated to be thankful for scraps just because other places aren't doing well.

Its not like the money they save on parties (or bonuses) is going to go to orphans or the unemployed. It just stays in the pocket of wealthy partners.

45 - what do you mean by "you law types" because I can't think of anything more pathetic than a non-law type hanging around a legal gossip blog.

Not inviting spouses is just inviting trouble. Great way to encourage sexual harrasment and cheating. I know a firm that was having trouble with sexual harrasment issues. They hired a "diversity consultant." One of the things the consultant said was that SOs MUST be invited to to the holiday party.

47 -- how dumb can you be?

To not mention Keith Hernandez?! Just ridiculous ignorance displayed on this board. For shame.

47, 52

two words: Don Mattingly

53 -- two words: Yosemite Sam.

45 - well, you certainly are not part of the "economic types" if you think the current sh*tty market is a depression. Don't even go there. People are worried enough so let's keep the fear realistic.

Btw, most whiners on this post are clueless law students or jrs. Seasoned lawyers aren't fazed because they know that their SOs wouldn't go near a firm holiday party unless life or limb depended on it (and it doesn't).

15, your firm may be non-TTT but wonder about you if you don't know the difference between "for both my wife and I" (WRONG) and "for both my wife and me" (CORRECT). Personally, $ wasted on you. And don't jump on me for the grammar smack. Basics like this should be first nature (not even second nature) for someone educated enough to be a lawyer.

How can you not say Burt Reynolds here? Quintessential 'stache.

Why are we protecting this firm? this is complete horseshit...

56-

I believe the correct grammatical structure is : "for both my wife and myself"......nice try though.

I spouses or guests aren't invited, why don't they just have the party on company time?

If spouses or guests aren't invited, why don't they just have the party on company time?

SkaTTTen cheaped out on the party this year - crappier bar and food than the usual party. Even the partners were embarrassed at how bad it was.

Milbank had a 600-person extravaganza at the Ritz in Battery Park 3 days after announcing shitty bonuses. Classy.

FACT: Huge parties always make up for lackluster bonuses.

On a good authority this is a Sidley invite.

Makes sense. You can't bang your secretary if your wife is there and besides, the partners will hit on your wife and you sure don't want to catch her on her knees giving one of them thanks for your Xmas bonus. Sound policy.

I would like to nominate DPW for the lamest holiday party award. It has the dubious honor of both (1) not including spouses/guests, AND (2) being catered in-house. Not only that, but throw in the fact that it starts at 4pm on a Thursday, and you have a royal snooze-fest. I guess starting at 4 on a Thursday has the added benefit (for them) that I get to go back to work after having a watered-down cocktail and engaging in some pretensious small talk. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

62 -- Ah, but then Skattenites could always go out and buy nice food and drink with their double-bonus. Not so bad...

59 - not 56 but he/she is correct and your suggestion of "for both my wife and myself" is also wrong.......nice try though.

Using "myself" in this context implies that the associate himself (notice that trick?) paid up, not the firm, whereas using "me" implies that another paid. Break it down to bare minimum: paid for dinner for myself OR paid for dinner for me. I won't bother getting into prepositions, object pronouns, reflexive pronouns, etc - there's this amazing thing called "the internets" (per George W).

59 - that's wrong and a common misuse my educated individuals like lawyers. "Myself" should only be used when you are both the subject and object of the sentence. "I cook for myself" or, "I am hosting and I have only invited my wife and myself" (though that doesn't make sense). So, when the firm is the subject of the sentence, it either has to be "me" or "I." Hence "my firm invited my spouse and me" is correct.

I don't like being a grammar asshole on this site, but just wanted to correct.

69 - 70 here, didn't see your post when I put mine down, so apologies for restating what you stated. But, either way, we are correct.

damn! both 69 and 70 beat me to it! yeah, ditto.

69/70 - I think you missed the modifier that makes you a douchebag

70/71 - Please, definitely no need to apologize. Given time stamp, appears that both YOU AND I (sorry, couldn't resist) wrote up our comments about the same time. I too try to resist re: grammar but sometimes...

This site is funny as hell sometimes. Whenever someone says something wrong, that person is either labeled retarded, an asshate, or something else similar. Whenever someone is right, that person is either labeled a douchebag, a douchetard, or something similar to that.

You people are funny, and I mean that in a laugh at you kind of way, not laugh with you kind of way.

- 70

70/75,
You forgot "TTT", something which should be reserved for the lowest of lows but now gets tossed out without reservation. Sad.

65 -- I don't think this is Sidley. I worked there and their memo template doesn't look like this.

44-

If you don't like it, then get the he#* off of my mustache

Tipster - I'm with 18 - great job on the Toonces reference!

FIRST !! :)

How is Wilson Sonsini avoiding the stealth layoff publicity, that's what I want to know!

"TO NOT HAVE HAD" ?!??! Seriously?! Grammar check anyone?

@82: huh?

55 - sorry to hear about your marital troubles. btw, many spouses WOULD go.

I was at the K&E holiday party, and the bar definitely did NOT close at 9.

what kind of worthless maggot sends in a memo like this to a website. this is not news and the fact that 86 ppl (including me) have response is pathetic. if i wasn't studying for exams, hopefully i wouldn't be reading this trash. report on something newsworthy.

Sidley invites spouses. The memo does have disclaimers but not like that. The bar is open WELL past 9.

I was at the Kirkland party as well. We could bring spouses.

Sidley invites spouses, lets you drink WAY past 9, and most relevantly had its holiday party the week before this memo went out, at The Pierre thankyouverymuch.

Definitely NOT Sidley. Spouses /guests are invited.

Why the redaction? Confusing.

Honestly. You're all lost little children. That memo was from a New Jersey firm (who else would be goofy enough to use the term "unlawful harassment"?) With initials similar to Sullivan & Cromwell's. Figured it out yet? Or can't you let go of your members long enough to type an answer?

Definitely NOT Sidley. Sidley allows and encourages unlawful sexual harassment. In fact, partners will be required to sexually harass all of their associates this year in order to make up for any bonus deficiencies.

30-

What, pretell, is this "N" on the end of your litany of apparently über prestigious law schools? Yale harvard northwestern?...? Suck a dick, loser. Transperancy is killing me.

94 The N stands for Northeastern. Idiot.

Kaye Scholer to match Skadden on Monday morning.

It's nice to see you back in force, Lat. Keep on posting - it's time for Elie to move on.

My firm didn't invite spouses. My exwife didn't want to go anyway. Win win.

OMM DC threw the exact same holiday party it had last year in the exact same venue, with spouses and others and alumni (even those who lateraled to other firms and staff who were laid off) invited. OMM is apparently doing much better than the firms that were looking down their noses at it a year ago because OMM is less leveraged in corporate and more leveraged in litigation, which is still booming.

Now, if OMM really wanted to give all those firms a big "up yours," it would have the same bonuses as last year. It can afford to do so. But that's not how the partnership thinks. They don't want to have PPP of "only" 1.6 for the third straight year. So they will hit the half-skadden model (although the silence so far is deafening when you consider that OMM is paying all its bonuses in 2 weeks).

--OMM DC Midlevel

This is probably a stupid question - but what exactly does "leveraged" mean? I see this referenced constantly, but I don't understand it in the context of partners to associates.

100:

3 associates : 1 partner in a group is less leveraged than 6 associates : 1 partner in a group, which is less leveraged than the old cadwalader 30 associates: 1 partner.

Like all leverage, when times are good, you make lots more money with more leverage because you have more people generating money for the partnership and don't have to pay them as much. but in rough times, when there's not enough work for all to go around, then those associates start becoming more of a liability since you can't squeeze 2500 hrs out of each and still have to pay them a set salary.

94

NYU. Dipshit.

Why is the identity of this firm kept secret when K & E got slammed for a perfectly appropriate invitation. The K & E holiday party was great. But we could've brought spouses? Think this is untrue. And no one did.

Why is the identity of this firm kept secret when K & E got slammed for a perfectly appropriate invitation? The K & E holiday party was great. But we could've brought spouses? Think this is untrue. And no one did.

Suckers!!! ... my firm doesn't do holiday parties.

Fried Frank Associate.

55, your'e wrong. Most top firms have blowout events for lawyers like Law Firm Prom, where spouses and guests are invited. Most come and have a good time.

Fact of the matter is that the holiday party, as fun as it is when done right, is mostly for support staff. And there's no need to invite spouses when there's other more fun events they get to come to.

i don't know if this memo is from them, but i heard that weil banned spouses/guests from its holiday party this year.

Someone just said that mustache rides have dropped to a NICKEL at Proskauer. *sigh*

No spouse invited to the party? Message received: don't work here if you want to have time to have a family. We don't care about you having a life outside work, so don't plan on one.

109, that's stupid

Agree with 110. I think no spouses at a party is a perfectly fine decision for a firm to make. While it has its fair share of potential bad consequences, it's a business decision. Since when are lawyers entitled to have a damn holiday party? Bonuses I can understand people bitching about, but this is just petty.

107 - weil's holiday party is always for employees only

I am looking forward to doing lines of coke off of summer associates asses after the holiday party.

Firm I'm working at next summer invited me and my girlfriend to the holiday party.

if no SOs are invited, the party should be during work hours.

113: It should be "summer associates'" (apostrophe).

--ATL Grammar Police.

mustache
ridurr

102 NYU? Yeah right. The poster was clearly trolling for New England Law School. Idiot.

21: it would be recruiting gold for S&C to pay Skadden-level bonuses. No one would give Skadden credit for setting the top of the level. Everyone would assume that they made a misstep. Cravath would be in the doghouse. Any matchers would limit the damage to their rep; but would still be known as followers.

But, maybe in this bad times no one is thinking about recruiting two or three hence. Cravath isn't.

No Miley Cyrus either!

http://www.setexasrecord.com/news/216055-miley-cyrus-to-perform-at-lanier-holiday-bash

Houston, anyone?

Jesus 99, get off a little bit more over your firm. OMM DC sounds really sweet dude. I wish I hadn't rejected their callback...

106, I doubt that "most" law firms have law firm proms with spouses invited; I've worked for 3 V50 firms and I've never heard of a law firm prom other than Hogan's.

100 here; thanks, 101.

122,

Cravath has a black tie prom every other year. Although we'll see what happens to it this year. God knows, I'd rather have had no xmas party at the Rainbow Room and now Cravath prom and have a few thousand dollars extra in my bonus.

Cravath has a law firm prom, S & C does. Morgan Lewis does. K & E has a Partner prom and other associate events where spouses can attend. Lots of firms do.

The people who said that the holiday party is mostly for staff are right. It's really not a big deal that spouses aren't invited. Especially if you actually like the people you work with. Open bar that closes at 9, that's another story!

I don't care how great things are at a firm, but when your midlevel cheerleader is posting on ATL at 8:15 in the morning on a Sunday, I'd say that's a firm I don't want to work at.

65 - your a moron. What "authority" are you referring to? Your ass?

Sidley's holliday party includes spouses and it is usually held at the Pierre.

121: I remember when I was all powerful too. Then I actually started my job and realized they were just blowing smoke up my ass.

But you should feel so big that you turned down an OMM DC call back. Cling to that when you're stuck on doc review.

Then get a life.

This firm is definitely TTT

Extraordinarily poor post, Lat

Extraordinarily poor post, Lat

I think they are waiting to announce that they will come in at Quarter Skadden

132: Don't even say those words -- even in jest -- or other law firms will get wind of a rumor that it has happened and match the "[fraction that shall not be named] Skadden" scale.

How does laid-off biglaw attorney pass the time now? Trying to get people to shop on Gilt Groupe, thats how. Help a girl out and shop...

http://www.gilt.com/invite/katielovesbargains

p.s. im glad Im missing my firm's holiday party- always sucks anyway- I dont think I saw attorneys and staff interact once in four years at one of those things!

128,

Let me get this straight. You nutted your pants in an earlier post about how great OMM DC was, only to come back and say that they were just blowing smoke up your ass? Which way is it? Is OMM DC the best thing that's ever happened to you, or have you just been reviewing docs all day long. Additionally, you should have never felt "all powerful" with your GULC degree in the first place...

Worst holiday party ever!!

This would never happen in Texas because we always party with our spouses here and classy stuff.

59, 69 and the I, me, myself posters are geeks. They are probably also nasty jerks in person as well. They have no life other than going to work. The people they think are friends are really business acquaintances.

137:

Mustache ridurr

I was at the K&E party, sexual harrassment was definitely permitted, but only until 9.

White & Case NY's holiday party is no spouses/guests. White & Case DC's includes spouses/guests, but also people who left the firm in the past year or two.

135: Read the earlier post where it says they could afford last year's bonuses, but won't pay them because they're too cheap.

Then get over yourself.

I went to the Kaye Schyler holiday party. There were no guests. You guys are about as accurate as the shoe-throwing Iraqi media, but with less panache.

Evidently I can't spell the firm's name correctly - Kaye Scholer on comment 143. At least I correct my innacuracies...

Evidently I can't spell the firm's name correctly - Kaye Scholer on comment 143. At least I correct my innacuracies...

17- where did paul hastings hold their party this year? at the willard again?