FIRST to say I'm happy with my V70 firm that didn't freeze salaries or conduct mass-layoffs.

FIRST to say 2 works at whatever the V70 firm is

Guys from my highschool used to discuss layoffs all the time on the train to NY, it was no big deal.

moron...and not elie this time.

2 and 3 prove my point.

- 1

"We reiterate our earlier advice: Pillsbury associates, start your engines laser printers, and crank out those résumés. It's time for you to move on. Bob Robbins is coming to get you."

A little dramatic, no Lat? Why are you trying to freak out the already petrified first years?

Pillsbury Dough Boy or Pillsbury DoDo Boy

I hope the tipster e-mailed the named associates to let them know they were mentioned. Maybe they could get a little something extra in the old severance package for having their names bandied about in public with respect to being laid off.

7 - My guess is that the 15-20 future layoff victims are just in Robbins's department. The firmwide number will probably be significantly higher.

Holy shit - - I though I had a big head!

what were the names he said on the train!! please tell me!!!

someone needs to lolcat Bob Robbins. Something like "Yumy Pillsbury 'sociates. Nom nom nom."

Was it a custom bluetooth?

Hey 80s guy --

Do do DO DO do do do DO DO

these lay offs are starting to bore me. It's like suffereing from a series of small heart attacks. The first one sucks but then when you have a bunch more, it's like *meh* and then when you die, it won't be significant or tragic, especially when they find you sprawled over your due diligence documents at 4pm on a Tuesday.

I'm not trying to downplay lay offs as they are a major event in an individuals life. I'm just saying it's one more way the Man is making us insignificant. Now even those who get laid off are just one of the many and insignificant. Damn! How does The Man do that? He gets us every time...

I suspect this is some sort of viral marketing campaign by Pillsbury. You know, to get the firm's name "out there" and get GCs thinking about sending them work. Who wouldn't want to hire the "loud guy on the train" to handle a huge, highly sensitive transaction? When I draft my business development plan next year, I am going to include "Ride Acela between NY and DC and discuss material, non-public information in a loud voice" as one of my career goals for the upcoming year.

This loud-mouthed fat cat is firing people merely to fatten his wallet.

NICE WORK LAT!!

Question: WHY THE HELL HAS THIS NOT BEEN REPORTED YET?

http://amlawdaily.typepad.com/amlawdaily/2009/02/cravath-profits-falls-24-percent.html

Partners that fire first years just to leave a few extra dollars on the table are classless, stupid, greedy scumbags. If you fire a senior, it really sucks but it's a temporary setback in their career, and they probably would've left already if the economy was better. Fire a first year in this economy and it destroys their career. And the worst thing is that the first years are dying to do the work, but the seniors are hoarding work that the first years should be doing. If a firm is forced to thin the herd, it should start with people who would've left on their own already in a better economy. And that does NOT include first years.

It is sad that these fat cat partners are willing to ruin the careers of their young lawyers just to save a few dollars. And they are going to get screwed when deal flow picks up and they've killed all their young and destroyed their recruiting reputation.

Any clients involved in a merger or other highly confidential transaction would be out of their minds to hire this loudmouth moron to represent them.

Great rack, 19!

Incompetence knows no bounds. Pillsbury can't even conduct its LAYOFFS properly.

Anybody else reminded of the Southwest Airlines slogan "Wanna get away?"

21 = fired first year

Pillsbury D'Oh Boy is now a meme.

@20: Now I feel duped that my firm followed the Cravath bonus model. We had a good year and only followed because Cravath is a "leader" in compensation. Too bad we all didn't have the full information before.

pwned assh0le

This was on the CBS national radio news tonight. Wow.

Where's Elie?

I wonder if D'oh Boy is wishing he had managed to eat his words, too!

I wonder if D'oh Boy is wishing he had managed to eat his words, too! I mean, shit, he's eaten everything else!

I understand D'oh Boy is taking a ride up to Baltimore to get some advice from Officer Rivieri on how to drop out of sight. You don't know who Officer Rivieri is? Well, then, check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6h2KD5FTkkw

21 -

Getting fired from a Biglaw as a 1st year will only destroy your career if you let it. It sucks, but tough times make tough people. You can't fold in the tent just because you got fired.

If you are really worth a damn as a lawyer, this will only be a minor setback whether you are a senior or junior attorney. I am not insensitive to the plight of anyone being fired.. but damn, you got to pick yourself up and dust yourself off, get your head straight and get back in the game!

Come on people.. I know you didn't get this far in life by giving up when times got rough. Why start now?

Mr. Robbins is leader of the firm's Corporate & Securities practice section.

Cue the music: That's when I fell for. . . . . the leader of the pack!

Mr. Robbins is leader of the firm's Corporate & Securities practice section.

Cue the music: That's when I fell for. . . . . the leader of the pack!

no first-years are "worth a damn" as lawyers.

The Jennifer Everest e-mail was fantastic. This Douche Bag thought his big talk about layoffs impressed a chick. He responded to an e-mail after midnight in less than 5 minutes. Dude is used to paying for sex.

21 here. Not a first year and haven't been fired (thankfully). I agree that no one should fold up their tent because they got fired. But getting back in the game is a lot more difficult for those without any experience, especially when no one is hiring. Only the weakest firms are taking such drastic measures at this point (firing first years, rescinding offers, cutting salaries, etc.). Let's hope it stays that way. I have seen an uptick in transactional work at my firm lately, which is a promising sign.

21 - I disagree. Partners need to put food on their table too. Have you ever considered how much food Bob Robbins needs to put on his table?

Welcome back David Lat. Bob, I say this in all sincerity - I hope you choke on a turkey bone while trying to gorge yourself and simultaneously fire an associate, probably one who started working at your TTT firm this fall.

question for a newbie to the site (but not the practice of law): what is ttt? top tier something?

Goodwin Procter recently laid off a bunch of first years at its Boston and New York office.

We don't take kindly to squealers in my line of work. This guy would be upside down in a bathtub if he shot off his mouth about some of my future personel management decisions.

We don't take kindly to squealers in my line of work. This guy would be upside down in a bathtub if he shot off his mouth about some of my future personel management decisions.

35 is a motivational speaker who lives in a van down by the river.

44 - Completely and utterly false. While Goodwin did lay off 38 associates last week, the firm went out of its way to state that first-years were safe and out-of-bounds for purposes of any cuts. In fact, the firm has expressly made that clear in numerous internal meetings at the firm-wide, department-wide, and one-on-one level. Firm leaders have stated that it would have been incredibly unfair to lay off any first-years at this stage, with the firm Chair going as far as to state that "first years have barely had time to turn the lights on."

or make the coffee for them. . . .

35 is right-on. Lots of people in lots of careers get laid off in the first year. It will kill you if you let it kill you. And Alonzo is bad-ass, so don't f with him.
http://anonymouscontractlawyer.blogspot.com

And to clarify, Goodwin Procter's decision that first-years were not to be touched was a bright-line rule employed across the firm -- that rule applied to every office and every department. While Goodwin did fire a few second-years in corporate, no litigation second-years were touched in either Boston or NYC. There is always the risk that things could dramatically worsen, but I am very confident that us first-years will have at least another year to prove ourselves.

- 48.

Goodwin has laid off class of 2007 people.

43 - "TTT" is a euphemism for Pillsbury D'Oh Boy Robert Robbins's place of employment: Pillsbury Winthrop, a "Third Tier Toilet."

*Poopin' in a hat.

"There is always the risk that things could dramatically worsen, but I am very confident that us first-years will have at least another year to prove ourselves."

US first-years? You got in to Goodwin Proctor with that sort of language skills? It's WE first-years.

52 -

Correct. A few of the 38 who were let go were class of 2007. But I'm not sure they'd be "first years" by any definition of the phrase.

************************************************************

Bob Robbins needs to be fired IMMEDIATELY.

************************************************************

He probably violates attorney-client confidentiality all the time on the subway. He needs to learn to keep his big mouth SHUT.

I can't believe he leaked this info...THANKS A LOT, BUDDY.

FIRE HIM
FIRE HIM
FIRE HIM
FIRE HIM
FIRE HIM

Amazing how much your life can change in 24 hours. Just think...yesterday at this time, this guy had no idea he'd be making national news and be the legal topic of the day.

Dear Pillsbury Management Committee,

For the obvious reasons, I will refrain from sending work to Pillsbury while this bozo is working there. Don't need my pending acquisitions leaked on the train, thanks.

Sincerely,
Fortune 500 In-House M&A Guy

First to say that this story isn't as big a deal as ATL is making it out to be...

Business better pick up soon or more associates will get cut - Pillsbury D'oh Robbins can' t afford to miss a meal.

60 -- Yeah, it'll probably be forgotten by next week, but I'm sure as hell enjoying it for now. Although I'm not going to be as tough on the PDB as others here. It's probably a simple case of there having been a prior meeting scheduled, but he couldn't make it due to travel so he joined in by phone. Still, horrendous lack of judgment, which I'm sure he's regretting.

51 - us first years gonna do alright??? Me fail English? Go back to NESL, you mouth-breathing d-bag. I hate you - you are a stinking rat bastard. Eat a dick.

Agreed, 63. 51 is worthless. I loathe you, 51. Go downstairs to the Cosi at 53 State and wallow in your misery.

This was ATL's finest hour.

Also, Robbins is really fat.

u guise r a bunch of superficial & status 0bsessed grammer dueces.

any word on the extent of the cuts?

21, you are wrong. You don't make it to senior associate level at most biglaw firms unless you contribute something. Senior associates add much more value than first years. And for those that say first years are all the same, you're wrong too. The good ones distinguish themselves from the start. Anyone who says otherwise is a first year who hasn't distinguished himself. Some people hit the ground running and obviously 'get it,' others lag behind. Maybe you don't know who the future partners will be but you know who you can rule out.

Can someone explain to me how the summer associate programs in their present glory came to be? It makes little sense to me to hire someone as a paid intern with just one semester's worth of grades. Then, basically be obliged to ask them for a second summer and then hire the person in August to start 12 months later.

31 - Elie is in Las Vegas. Didn't you get the memo?

http://abovethelaw.com/2009/02/vacation_memo.php

59.. doesn't really exist. There are no deals to send to anyone. If he did exist, I'd be curious to know what he's buying and where he's getting his capital.

Bob has ruled by fear and intimidation for 25 years. When things go right, he takes all the credit. When things go wrong, he blames and scapegoats the associates.
. All his relationships are based on power and manipulation. His performance on the train today was the natural culmination of 25 years of bullying and stepping all over people. The Pillsbury Management Committee will have him out the door by April 1. But that will be 25 years too late. The damage he did to other, younger people cannot be undone.

72 - Really? I highly doubt that a powerful partner would lose his post over a silly little blog controversy.

68, no one is questioning the fact that some senior associates are truly valuable and some juniors are truly dogs. But, assuming you're making a choice between laying off an average senior (who won't make partner) and an average first year, the senior associate will at least have money in savings, no loans, and several years of experience on their resume and thus the chance of being hired by a company, another law firm, etc. First years have nothing and are at the mercy of their firms. That's why it's especially harsh to kick these people out. The one thing that I think we can all agree upon is that it's shameful that firms are laying off associates but still bringing in full summer classes.

If you're a Pillsbury associate, fifth year or more senior, who is billing less than 130 hours a month these days, you should be worried about your job.

74, this is 68. The quality of an "average" senior associate is much higher than an "average" first year associate. Most firms do not let subpar, or even 'average' people, stick around for six or seven years. And I actually think it's harder for a senior associate to find a job, because a senior associate who is leaving quite obviously is doing so because he or she couldn't make partner, whereas a junior associate is more of a blank slate.

Don't get me wrong, I think it's awful to lay off first year associates (particularly the true first year who has only worked for 5 months or so). I hate all layoffs and fair is fair - if there are senior associates with no work and layoffs need to happen, they should be targeted too. And firms should have known to cut their 2009 summer classes, many of them did. I agree, it's shameful to bring in huge summer classes and lay off first years, especially because they are basically indistinguishable at that level.

LAYOFFS?!? DOn't blog about -- LAYOFFS?!? You kiddin' me??? LAYOFFS!?!?

"D'oh Boy." Awesome.

76: I agree, the more fungible you are, the worse it is when you get laid off. you're just one of those many a**holes who couldn't sing at an American Idol audition.

stuffbiglawassociateslike.wordpress.com

daaamn homie, you used to be da maaan homie . . .

yo doughboy, where my biscuits at?

THE WHITE WHALE HUNGERS FOR FRESH FIRST-YEAR FLESH.

-Bob

My god, I didn't know that much fat could get on a man's head. He doesn't even have a neck! It looks like someone tried to bake bread in a shirt.

Baskin Bob Robbins, a.k.a. The Pillsbury D'oh Boy. It really doesn't get much better than that.

Some really juvenile people here. Commenting about his weight is worse than what he did on the train today, which has been totally overblown.

This is no big deal. (The news itself of Pillsbury layoffs is newsworthy through.) He was overheard discussing personnel matters at his lawfirm. Yawn. He wasn't divulging client confidences. He didn't break any client privileges. He didn't do any harm to the reputations of the people on the firing block - the probability he would be overheard by anyone who would know any one mentioned by name was infinitesimal. Indeed, the story doesn't indicate that anyone recognized their names. Even if someone had recognized a name, what harm would it have been? Worse than him telling his wife (who might actually know the person), an income partner, a counsel, a favored associate? I'm sure managing partners leak this info regularly.

He looks like a nice enough guy, too.

I want to pinch his cheeks and slap his ass.

Question for partners and partner trackers:

If BigLaw associates are really fungible, how can the layoffs be performance based?

41 is hilarious.

84 = Baskin' Bob Robbins, the Pillsbury D'oh Boy

84 - lawyers need to be detail oriented perfectionist freaks who ALWAYS plan on the worst case scenario. your little speech about the odds being so low that anyone would overhear proves that you are either a) not a lawyer; or, b) a really crappy lawyer.

That was pretty much a non-apology. "We apologize for the unfortunate manner in which our deliberations have become public." In other words, "we're sorry that snot-nosed law student was sitting in front of Bob on the train, we're sorry she wasn't deaf or listening to her iPod, and we're sorry ATL decided to tell the whole world." Not "we're sorry for what Bob did."

84 - What is it, your first time at this site? If so, WELCOME!!! Beware, however, "Here there be snark!"

And, in that vein, I add - Overblown? His STOMACH is overblown.

I am a big advocate of "WHITE WHALE" ala Newman, but Baskin Bob Robbins and the Pillsbury D'oh Boy are pretty great.

71, yes actually I do, and I'm not alone. If you don't know what's going on in the real world because you only watch for big company deals (both parties) that would make the front page of the Journal when announced, sorry about your luck, but there are deals being done every day. I'm working on multiple active transactions right now. If you want to know where to go to find such things, perhaps you should dig deeper.

150 here - i was out roaming my neighborhood last night looking for potential noise violations to report

Gawker STOLE my Pillsbury Dough Boy line!!!!!

http://gawker.com/5156730/doughy-pillsbury-lawyer-demonstrates-why-you-should-shut-up-on-your-cell-phone

Bring me Solo and the Wookie. They will pay for this outrage!

77 made me lolz.

Lat - the word resume has only one slanty thingy, not two

The real national news is that the Pillsbury D'oh Boy opened his mouth long enough to string two sentences together without stuffing it full of fried food.

84 -- The guy is a partner. He owes a fiduciary duty to his partnership. Blabbing about internal firm matters may not violate client confidences but it does violate the duty of confidentiality and loyalty. It also suggests the guy has no reservations about yapping loudly on the cellphone in a quiet enclosed environment -- which should give any client or potential client pause.

84, what you've just posted is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever read. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in on the internet is now dumber for having read it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

He better not go swimming near Gregory Peck.

First to say that Bob "Baskin" Robbins is undoubtedly the Tommy Boy of Pillsbury's partnership ranks.

Not that it really matters at this point...but anyone know about Pillsbury summer associate program? I interviewed there in September and haven't heard back...guess I'm not worth the paper the rejection letter is printed on...

Sorry, 95, "Captain Workhard," but you are a douche. Your comments are never funny. Go back and look at the prior post. The first reference to "dough boy" was made at 100. Someone later called him the "Pillsbury D'oh Boy," which is way funnier, at around 138. You joined the fray in the 300s saying shit like "he's the Pillsbury Dough boy, hee hee." Gawker referred to him as "Doughy." Nobody stole your line. Go away.

34, here's another video of Officer Rivieri:

http://mikecane2008.wordpress.com/2008/02/15/officer-rivieri-fails-again/

He looks like Robbins + Under Armour - about 20 pounds.

Fine, go ahead, fire first-years. Do not, however, say the layoffs are performance-related, especially if the associates haven't even had a review yet.

104-

1) I made the post at 100 from another computer that did not have my firefox login saved.

2) The fact that you had time to do such a thorough investigation proves your pathetic, miserable state of being. The EPIC FAIL of that investigation makes it even worse.

Lol 104 got pwned

Lat, please keep tabs on what happens to the career of the notorious Mr. Robbins and provide follow-ups. Yeah, I know, obvious. But this is a story I really want to follow! I hope he gets his due.

108-107 again commenting from his "other computer"

84 - Do you know who rides the Acela?? (For those non-left coast people, a one-way ticket for Acela express from D.C. to NYC is $221 and gets you there in under 3 hours). It's primarily used by people in business (who can drop $500 on a round-trip train ticket) to travel to meetings in NYC, PHL, and D.C. The passengers sitting around you are not commuting to clown college. So, the probability of his being overheard by someone who knows what he was talking about is actually huge.

Hey 110-- 108 is actually Captain WorkHard commenting from his "other computer" for the first time

Ok, look. What the guy did was atrocious. Maybe he's a total dbag, or maybe he made a stupid mistake (one from which I'm sure he's learned a lesson).

What's FAR more appalling to me is all the comments about his weight on this board. JESUS CHRIST - what is wrong with you people? Are you really so desperately insecure that you need to knock him for his weight? This is the kind of "mean girls" bs that makes people hate lawyers - casual cruelty for cruelty's sake.

It's really disgusting - and the prevalence of it is mind-blowing to me. SO many comments. It's actually really depressing that such a high number of you felt the need to mention it in one or another. This may sound laughably naive, but this is the first time in my life I've ever had that sinking feeling that maybe attorneys really are a-holes by and large.

- Chicago 3rd year (and yeah, jerks, a size 2 before you decide this is about my own insecurities)

Shame on all of you.

$221 for a fucking train ride. That better be a nice train.

FAT CLAMS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

21, why do you think the impact on a laid off senior associate is less significant than the impact on a first-year? By the time one is a senior, by and large, s/he will be married, own a house, and have kids. These are not inexpensive endeavors. Decisions about your mortgage were probably based on how much you were earning as a senior. In this economy, it is not unheard of for a senior to go from making near $300ks down to mid- to high-$100ks. With family and mortgage commitments, that can be devastating.
Compare that with a first-year. Yes, you may not start at $160k, but you also haven't had time to plan your life around the "golden handcuffs." And a silver lining is that you can probably end up at a small to midsize firm where you will actually get the kind of valuable experience you never would have at a large firm. And with that experience, you can lateral back into Biglaw is a midlevel and make a ton of money.
Hope that helps.

107, 104 here, from my other computer. Thank you for confirming your douchebaggery.

lol fatties.

113--two years post-gastric bypass

There was a time, long ago, where a partner who acted like this fat baffoon did would have been expelled from the partnership, no questions asked.

Question for 113 - is that a size 2 in vanity sizing? FAT ASS!

And in their thirst for blood, the sharks ripped into the flesh of other sharks. Thus began the feeding frenzy.

http://anonymouscontractlawyer.blogspot.com

Agree that this was quite indiscrete. Also agree that all of the fat jokes are a bit much. I guess they are understandable though in light of the fact that most of you were probably not very popular in high school. A lot of pent up issues there. I mean, for example, many of you will critique the grammar in this post - one of the most informal means of communications that there is. If that doesn't scream "I went to the prom with my sister" I don't know what does.

I don't have a sister.

123--the condescending type who blows hard and indiscretely into his/her bluetooth in public places, like train cars

I went to the prom with 123's sister

123 here - all of those responses made me laugh.

Insulting fat people is acceptable because YOU DID IT TO YOURSELVES!!! Don't give all this "but I'm just big-boned!" No, you're just big-assed. My revolutionary approach to helping you stop being so fat is bipartite:

1) The "Just Don't Eat So G-ddamn Much" Diet
2) The "Get Off Your Fat Ass and Do Some Physical Activity For an Hour a Day" Exercise Plan

No one feels sorry for fat people. Do you feel sorry for 6' 4" 70 lbs heroin addicts? If in a "man, that would be shitty to end up that way" kinda sorry, then ya. You were not born disadvantaged, and you have absolute control over whether or not you stay a fat ass. If you can't take all the "abuse" Pillsbury D'oh Boy because your whale-flipper man breasts have started secreting excess estrogen--thus making you cry at the smallest insult to your physique--then fucking lose some weight!

Tough love people....Get over the baby-boomer coddling bullshit your parents passed onto you because your grandparents didn't hug them enough. If you're fat, then people have every right to say, "Hey fat ass, why don't you stop being a greedy slob and actually care about the way you look!" It is NOT okay to be fat--it causes myriad diseases. Having people uncomfortably assure you that you look great no matter what is not gonna let you see your schlong again, nor will it stop your first heart attack at 40. Getting reamed will either a) depress you enough that you kill self, freeing up valuable resources for starving children in Africa or b) inspire you to lose weight, get healthier and live longer.

And anonymous lawyer....fuck off! If I wanted to read your lame website, I'd use this crazy thing called "Google" and search for it. Stop trolling!

123: 126, here. Glad you got a laugh; I had to do it. But I agree with you that the comments on here are sometimes very immature.

123 here - all of those responses made me laugh.

52 - Just like the bullies/morons at the SF main office. Morale has been crushingly low for years. Partners with books from all the firm dissolutions this year: no one decamped to Pillsbury.

I mean 72 - Just like the bullies/morons at the SF main office. Morale has been crushingly low for years. Partners with books from all the firm dissolutions this year: no one decamped to Pillsbury.

FAT CLAMS in the SF OFFICE

size 2, Chicago, does not compute

Pillsbury Madison and Sutro used to be SF's finishing school. Now, it is a firm with partners who cannot attract work to justify their insane billing rates. To compete, Pillsbury should roll back its billing rates, associate salaries, and partner expectations of profits.

Maybe if he put down the fork from time to time the savings could have preserved a job or two.

Comrade Baskin Robbins enjoys the proletariat...on rye with bacon and mayonnaise.

113, are you really a size 2? Why do you feel the need to brag about it on ATL?

I would like to add another viewpoint here. I'm sure many of you don't know this partner, but he is an extremely nice, caring, sensitive person. He is like a father figure to many people who have worked with him. Think of a nice, friendly, warm guy who you could always feel comfortable talking to about your career.

Yes, he made a mistake. But if you knew him, you would understand that he is truly a genuine person who really invests in his colleagues. If it were up to him, I sincerely think he would want to support each associate as long as he could, even if it reduced his compensation significantly.

For a moment, think about your own father or grandfather (especially if he was overweight and sensitive about it)-- if they made a mistake like this, would you think the responses here would hurt you? Yes, this is a public board where creative jokes are entertaining, but please understand that there is a very real, very caring, very sensitve person on the receiving end of this--a person who is probably feeling a sever amount of pain and embarassment. Just think about your own parent and whether you would want them to be hurt like this. Again, not excusing the behavior, but just a perspective to keep in mind.

98 -- Résumé, a French word that English has adopted in all its original spelling glory, accents included, has two of them accent aigu's. If you use only one, you appear to be an idiot who knows only that the word is somehow Frenchy-ish and therefore should have some sort of accent. But please keep labeling your laid-off ass's résumé, "resumé."

139 - I wouldn't worry too much about Robbins. As you know, Robbins has had an amazing career. This is embarrassing, but it will blow over by Monday. So don't stress (and don't read the commentary if it bothers you).

139 = working hard not to be on Doughboy's lay-off list

Picked up on Instapundit:

http://pajamasmedia.com/instapundit/70441/

139 - My grandfather was a loud fat bastard.

111,

My post intended to state that the probability that anyone on the Acela would recognize a name of one of the people on the chopping block was extremely low. Therefore, this was not an unreasonable conversation to have on the train.

Prob. hearing name * prob. recognizing name * prob. connecting it to substance of discussion * prob. of hearing the name Pillsbury * prob. of any harm to the associate even if person heard name, recognized it and connected the dots

= Infinitesimal

89,

A good lawyer takes probabilities into account in advising on a course of action. If an attorney advised to avoid any and all risk, there could be no action at all. What action is totally risk free? You weigh the relative risks, with the costs and outcomes.

84

100,

Robbins violated no client confidences.

You say he violated his duty of loyalty to his partners? How so?

You say he violated his duty of confidentiality? How so? Were these confidences? Even if this constituted a breach of confidentiality, what is the injury? (Other than the "embarrassment" to the firm, which would be a circular argument from you because it is my contention that he has done nothing really wrong here to be embarrassed about. Most BigLaw firms are conducting layoffs.)

He seems like a very decent human being and a number of posters who know him have attested to that. If he is not--FOR OTHER REASONS, besides this indiscretion--then have at it.

84

139: I'm sure bob could take a significant pay cut and save some associates. Let's see your daddy step up to the plate and say I'll take half my salary and save several associates (he makes more than a million I am sure of that).

fatso sloppin' down sausage in the back of the train yappin' on his blue tooth. nice.

what a freakin fat pos. this evening i'm sure he's in a red booth sloppin' down some steak, creamed spinach and potatoes yappin' about how funny this is. meanwhile, everyone else is at home in the cold eating top ramen.

man, talk about a time when we need more donald trump:

YOU'RE FIRED.

i mean, just imagine what kind of client secrets mr. blue tooth has been spreading on the train thinking he's keeping it on the DL.

There is a technical term of art for people who do such things to personnel at their own firms. These people are known in the profession as "dumbfucks." If this individual is representative of the level or professionalism and discretion of attorneys at Pillsbury, I am truly glad that I am not one of the firm's clients or associates. He may in fact be a nice guy, but this was far too sensitive a matter to be discussed in a cellphone conversation in a place of public accommodation.

laughing sooo hard at 82 + 83. this is the first time in a long time that i have actually found the comments funny and not just crass and idiotic.

i know some people are annoyed, but i'm glad that ATL has stepped up their efforts to moderate comments. not that i lose sleep over blog comments, but they were getting really vulgar and inane...

Anonymous Contract lawyer here--
re 128, I was trolling in a sense. ACL is also my moniker here, so why not make it easy for people to link.
re the comments on Robbins not violating confidentiality. Not ACP, but privacy rights of employees. Talking about employee performance and personnel decisions on the acela probably has the HR dept pale and sweating.

I'm still reeling over how awesome this scoop was/is. The best since Nixon Peabody's theme song.

And, tipster: VERY nicely done.

Anyone else notice that Lat always grabs the good leads?

How can any one defend this monster or chastise people for reacting crudely and vulgarly to his ilk? He's the living embodiment of the crass, ego-centric, under-capable Bush-era do-nothing who makes up for his own failures by shit-canning real people. And he can't even do it discreetly.

156- You sound completely insane.

156 is right that it's morons like Robbins who've made layoffs the norm even among firms that are making profit. I don't think Robbins should be given any leeway either.

156,

Your criticism applies to all BigLaw partners. It is therefore unfair to single out Robbins.

(You and I may agree that it is indeed curious that these firms are firing their people even as the partners continue to clear a $1-2 million in pure profit amidst one of the worst economic contractions of a generation.)

158,

Your criticism applies to all BigLaw partners. It is therefore unfair to single out Robbins.

(You and I may agree that it is indeed curious that these firms are firing their people even as the partners continue to clear a $1-2 million in pure profit amidst one of the worst economic contractions of a generation.)

156 here... yeah, I didn't mean to say that Robbins is extraordinary. I mean, not for any reason other than his colossal gaffe capacity. I meant to point out that he's part of a system that treats a lot of people pretty badly. If he gets a lot of internet guff that is somewhat out of proportion to his obnoxiousness in this particular incident... well, even still I have trouble feeling sorry for him.

Fat Clams want this story to die. I do not.