Layoffs

Nationwide Layoff Watch: Fish & Richardson Officially Announces Cuts

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Yesterday ATL reported that in addition to the 30 staff cuts, Fish & Richardson was in the process of conducting stealth layoffs of lawyers as well.

Today, Fish took those layoffs out of the closet and announced the full scope of its attorney reductions:

Since November of last year, 49 members of our legal staff have left or are in the process of leaving the firm, including four dismissals that were made today, January 30, 2009. Many of these departures occurred as the result of year-end performance evaluations, but others were based on purely economic decisions.

At least the information is now out in the open. Most of the associates we talk to prefer open communication about the state of their firms, so it’s nice to see Fish & Richardson clearly state its reasons for the attorney departures we reported.

We’re happy to bring you the news first; we just wish it wasn’t so sad. Good luck to all the displaced Fish & Richardson associates and staff.

You can read the full firm statement after the jump.


FISH & RICHARDSON — STATEMENT — EVENTS AT THE FIRM

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The global recession has profoundly impacted many businesses, and many of our clients have reduced spending on legal services. Faced with unprecedented levels of economic uncertainty and an attorney attrition rate that is significantly below normal levels, we have adjusted our staffing to meet our clients’ changing business needs. We have reduced our workforce after strategically evaluating our projected needs in all of our practice groups. As a result:

– Since November of last year, 49 members of our legal staff have left or are in the process of leaving the firm, including four dismissals that were made today, January 30, 2009. Many of these departures occurred as the result of year-end performance evaluations, but others were based on purely economic decisions.

– Thirty employees of our support staff across eight of our U.S. offices in several administrative departments were asked to leave the firm on January 28, 2009.

All of these people have been valuable contributors to the firm’s success; we regret their departure, and will assist all of them through this difficult time in their lives with severance programs. The steps we have taken over these past months were driven in significant part by the poor global economy, and were made after much thoughtful consideration to help ensure that our firm will remain strong and sound to weather these turbulent times.

Earlier: Nationwide Layoff Watch: Fish & Richardson Cuts 30 Staff: Unknown Number of Associates

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