Nationwide Layoff Watch: 58 Bryan Cave Attorneys Let Go
It wasn’t that long ago that Bryan Cave acquired Powell Goldstein, aggressively expanding during the recession.
But then came news of a salary deferral. At the time, a Bryan Cave tipster said:
I hope this actually means no layoffs, though, as many junior associates have been really hurting for work. I also hope it means they won’t have to be too stingy with raises when the deferral period ends, since Bryan Cave is not lockstep with the Simpson 160k scale after the first couple years.
Well, today layoffs have come to Bryan Cave. The news first started leaking out on Tuesday. As we understand it, Bryan Cave is letting people go today. Our sources report that 58 attorneys have been laid off.
Some additional details after the jump.
A tipster reports how associates were informed about the layoffs:
The firm had a meeting, and then told associates they would be getting calls in the next 20 minutes if they were to be let go. After that, those laid off have to wait until 3:30 to find out about their severance package.
As difficult as layoffs are, the move shouldn’t be all that surprising to Bryan Cave attorneys. We’ve been receiving reports for months that things are very slow for junior associates at the firm.
We expect an official statement from the firm later today.
Update: Official statement here.
Earlier: Bryan Cave Delays Associate Pay Raise By Three Months
Bryan Cave & Powell Goldstein ‘Officially’ Announce Merger (Or Acquisition Or … Something)
Prior ATL coverage of law firm layoffs
(95) 
Comments
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are the PoGo people safe?
NY to 190!!!
Another TTT bites the dust.
Which offices?
This is an epidemic. We can't seem to get through a whole hour without more layoffs being announced! Where oh where are people keeping their jobs?
I personally would rather not be in Bryan's Cave. What am I, some kind of human enema?
The ship be sinking...
when did bryan Cave become relevant?
When are we going to hear about the stealth layoffs at Milbank?
When are we going to hear about the stealth layoffs at Milbank?
Have they announced layoffs prior to this point? this seems like the first we've heard from them.
Is DLA cutting today?
Bloodbath at Holland & Knight today. Please report.
Seems that if a firm is going to lay off people, they ought to do it face-to-face-- not via a "phone call!"
12: DLA is probably cutting everyday. Too big, too fast, with lots of deadweight.
12: DLA is probably cutting everyday. Too big, too fast, with lots of deadweight.
Layoffs by phone!? What if you just didn't answer the phone? Would they try someone else?
it's, it's the end of the world as we know it
it's, it's the end of the world as we know it
it's, it's the end of the world as we know it
it's, it's the end of the world as we know it
it's, it's the end of the world as we know it
Layoffs by phone!? What if you just didn't answer the phone? Would they try someone else?
12 - Yes, DLA is doing layoffs today and they have already started. I already know of 3 people that have gotten the news here in NY. They have psychological counselors here to comfort those losing their jobs.
Second tipster doesn't have it quite right. Face-to-face meetings with those let go, then firmwide meetings with other associates to let them know of the cuts.
*tap... tap... tap...*
any updates on Holland & Knight?
Were there riots and looting during the 20 minutes when every associate in the firm collectively shat their pants waiting for a phone call?
@21: maybe different offices handled it differently?
Here in NY (which is definitely affected), they had an office-wide non-partner lawyers' meeting to announce they were letting some staff and some attorneys go, and said they would call those who were affected within 20 minutes of the big meeting to schedule an individual face-to-face meeting with the managing partner to discuss severance, etc.
I know the partners put some effort into trying to find the least-cruel method possible of breaking the news. The truth is there is no "good" way of announcing layoffs. But they apparently decided it was better to make the announcement to everyone and quickly let the affected folks know, rather than having word slowly leak around the office, or making people sit around all day dreading the appearance of a senior partner in their doorway.
Was Atlanta's office affected?
Was Atlanta's office affected?
25: Gotcha. They handled it differently in StL. We did hear that NY was particularly hard-hit.
OCEANS RISE
CITIES FALL
QUINN REMAINS
OCEANS RISE
CITIES FALL
QUINN REMAINS
OCEANS RISE
CITIES FALL
QUINN REMAINS
@21/28: Interesting that they took a different approach in STL. I can definitely see pros/cons to each, and I guess the partners in different offices did whatever they felt was best.
@19: I tried something similar. They came in person to my office. Before they could say anything, I quickly excused myself to go to the bathroom. I then left the building and haven't been back since.
The checks keep coming though!
Bryan Cave suffers from the delusion of our Chairman who embraces a strategic vision that we can become an international powerhouse and move signficantly up the Am Law profit per partner rankings. He is a non-communicative, widely despised, much feared individual within his own partnership. But give him credit for surrounding himself with a management committee full of 'yes' men.
LAYOFFS!?!? Don't talk about -- LAYOFFS? You kiddin' me? LAYOFFS??
@25/32 - They also told us that they were trying to do this as simultaneously as possible so that people would hear it first from the firm and not from ATL...
Glad to see Jim hasn't been laid off...
People have been vague. So how did they do it in STL? And does anybody know the #'s, in terms of how many from the different offices?
BC is a mess and has been a mess for a few years. The merger done with Robinson Silverman in NY a few years ago has been a trainwreck. The NY practice is overwhelmed with mediocre partners who don't bring in business and who are pissed off that the rest of the firm doesn't feed them. The Chicago office is also an unmitigated disaster.
15 lawyers and several staff members whacked in St. Louis.
Besides StL, what offices? and practice groups?
any word on severance?
New York is taking biggest hit.
Anyone with info on CA -- particularly LA -- please call/email. It can stay off the record.
amanda_becker@dailyjournal.com / 213-229-5303
Anyone with info on CA -- particularly LA -- please call/email. It can stay off the record.
amanda_becker@dailyjournal.com / 213-229-5303
How many layoffs at Bryan Cave Kansas City?
What does "TTT" refer to ??
Only 4 lawyers in STL. Maybe 15 staff.
Only 4 lawyers in STL. Maybe 15 staff
Banking, Real Estate and Tax practices taking the biggest hit. Not surprising. These were compassionate decisions made after much deliberation.
There is a meeting today in the Los Angeles office - they are giving notice right now.
Phoenix?
How about first-years who had their start date pushed back to Jan 09, just to be whacked 5 weeks later. I mean come on...you have people move, get settled in, and start thinking they had finally made it. And then you whack them....what exactly changed in those five weeks that you needed to put them through all that. Just classless....completely and utterly classless.
Chairman's e-mail just came out - 58 attorneys and 76 staff
TTT=Third Tier Toilet (or some such)... definitely an apt description for Bryan Cave
how many attorneys in STL? there have been conflicting posts.
I wonder if Bryan Cave will close its "The Cave" office above Starbucks on Olive....
Chairman's e-mail just came out - 58 attorneys and 76 staff
Below heaven is hell. Below hell is … ‘The Cave.’
57, maybe it's not wise to have the most expensive real estate in STL when you're throwing 134 people out on the street...
Below heaven is hell. Below hell is … ‘The Cave.’
20 attorneys laid off in the NY office
What's the word in Atlanta?
Don Lents has his Management Committee of hand-picked ass kissers is methodically driving Bryan Cave into the grave. Lents likes to pretend he is smarter than everybody else and loves to hang out in his subsidized condo in Manhattan. He also lives under the delusion that Bryan Cave can reasonably become one of the elite Am Law 100 firms via his strategic vision for the firm. Thankfully he will be voted out of the Chairman role when partner election rolls around later in 2009.
I love this firm and am one of the laid-off attorneys. My managing partner did it with class and with grace, allowing me to maintain some self-respect.
Who the fuck cares about Atlanta. Bryan Cave came in and graciously bought up a Powell Goldstein practice that should have been dissolved in the first place.
Ren Hayhurst is a good guy.
While I agree that Don Lents and other members of the board should consider decreasing their own already exaggerated salaries before laying off a single employee. I also realize that it was 8 years of Busch economics that have us where we are today. My outgoing plea is fir someone to fix this economic drag before all of america is standing in the un-employment lines. As for the cave if they wish to save money remove the free soda machines, and coffee. Get rid of their old office on Olive, and consolidate space to remove leasing from a floor. There were many options that should have been considered first.
While I agree that Don Lents and other members of the board should consider decreasing their own already exaggerated salaries before laying off a single employee. I also realize that it was 8 years of Busch economics that have us where we are today. My outgoing plea is fir someone to fix this economic drag before all of america is standing in the un-employment lines. As for the cave if they wish to save money remove the free soda machines, and coffee. Get rid of their old office on Olive, and consolidate space to remove leasing from a floor. There were many options that should have been considered first.
While I agree that Don Lents and other members of the board should consider decreasing their own already exaggerated salaries before laying off a single employee. I also realize that it was 8 years of Busch economics that have us where we are today. My outgoing plea is fir someone to fix this economic drag before all of america is standing in the un-employment lines. As for the cave if they wish to save money remove the free soda machines, and coffee. Get rid of their old office on Olive, and consolidate space to remove leasing from a floor. There were many options that should have been considered first.
While I agree that Don Lents and other members of the board should consider decreasing their own already exaggerated salaries before laying off a single employee. I also realize that it was 8 years of Busch economics that have us where we are today. My outgoing plea is fir someone to fix this economic drag before all of america is standing in the un-employment lines. As for the cave if they wish to save money remove the free soda machines, and coffee. Get rid of their old office on Olive, and consolidate space to remove leasing from a floor. There were many options that should have been considered first.
While I agree that Don Lents and other members of the board should consider decreasing their own already exaggerated salaries before laying off a single employee. I also realize that it was 8 years of Busch economics that have us where we are today. My outgoing plea is fir someone to fix this economic drag before all of america is standing in the un-employment lines. As for the cave if they wish to save money remove the free soda machines, and coffee. Get rid of their old office on Olive, and consolidate space to remove leasing from a floor. There were many options that should have been considered first.
I'm a lawyer at Bryan Cave. While I can certainly understand all the venom being spewed, the fact is the firm has felt the economic pinch just like everybody else. Also, the lion's share of the practice is commoditized and lower rate work. We have lots of fine lawyers, but we aren't doing a lot of highly tuned and sophisticated legal work. We're a good Midwestern based general services law firm that is going to feel the pinch of a bad economy. Don Lents might not be a great or communicative Managing Partner, but he isn't the problem here. The problem is we need more business developers and for the economy to get on solid footing to drive work into our transactions and litigation practice.
67=Ren Hayhurst
Bryan Cave Douche Bag Society Charter Members
1. Don Lents
2. Michael Clear
3. Irvin Belzer
73,
How are you supposed to encourage business development when you eliminate fee-sharing bonuses for associates that bring in business? I suggest you try a different excuse
65= Don Lents
65= Don Lents
77, nah, 65 = Frank Wolff. Even Lon Dense couldn't say that with a straight face. Frank believes it.
65= Don Lents
Frank Wolff has carved out a career at Bryan Cave of doing nothing.
75 - that's J. Michael Clear to you.
OCEANS RISE
CITIES FALL
QUINN REMAINS WITH EGG ON ITS FACE(BOOK)
Does anyone know if Bryan's Phoenix office was affected. Please no dumb ass responses. My best friend's wife is a real estate lawyer there and she is one of the nicest folks in the world.
Hey 84, you are kidding right? No dumb ass comments on a blog? What is the world coming to?
82- Is that you, Chris?
84 - your imaginary friend?
Bryan Cave's Phoenix office was affected, albeit to a lesser extent than some of the other offices.
84, By the way, there are no femaie real estate lawyers in the Phoenix office. We had one last year, but she left to another firm.
The senior partners at Bryan Cave including Lentz pay themselves a lot less than they could, given the business they originate and control. A lot less. Their compensation is not the problem.
65- what office? I will be a summer associate for BC
Bryan Cave's press release left out some important information. Salaries for all counsel across the firm are being reduced from 10-30%. So much for a "salary freeze." Blame it on global warming.
I worked as a consultant on an IT project for Byran Cave in '01. Based on the ineptitude of the people runnign the project and BC's staff who were committed to implementing Novell and fighting tooth and nail against Microsoft or Unix, it doesn't suprise me at all the wheels are falling off the place.
Hopefully all the smart people got off BC's merry-go-round years ago.
#94 What does nice have to do with being let go. I'm sure the majority of the people at BC were nice.
More to come?