hi

How bout Fat Thursday, eh Elie?

first

How bout Fat Thursday, eh Elie?

There's no way I'm first?

How about "Redundancy Thursday"?

I'll get something better later, need to be first right now!

How about "Dump Day" ... you know, after hump day

"The Day Jim Mora Got Carpal Tunnel Syndrome"

How about "Dump Day" ... you know, following hump day

How about "Dump Day" ... you know, following hump day

Someone said that the timing probably has to do with the fact that many receive paychecks tomorrow, and the firms want those to count toward severance. Makes a whole lot more sense than silly 'Friday the 13th' speculation.

How about "I am pretty fucking sad for my friends who were fired today and pretty fucking scared that I might be next" Thursday

Non-Stealth Twelfth

I would just call it "The Bloodbath." Simple, yet effective.

Great, so we can distinguish the "St. Valentine's Day Massacre" from the "Valentine's Day Massacre"? "Black Thursday" works, thanks.

How about TTT Thursday? Shoulda taken the MCAT Thursday? Thank you greedy fucks on wall st Thursday?

How about TTT Thursday? Shoulda taken the MCAT Thursday? Thank you greedy fucks on wall st Thursday?

How about "The 2009 Shit-Storm That Hit The Legal Industry"? 'Cause there will be more tomorrow ...

Dean Schizer lies!

7/9/10 - I think that is rather perfect. Good call. It has a few different meanings that could be read into it: 1) Firms are dumping all of their worker bees; 2) Firms are taking a dump all over their worker bees; 3) Worker bees have nothing else to do but take a big dump all day long.

Here's to "Dump Day"

I suggest "The Day Hope and Change Died"

Wait until tomorrow before you give today a name. Don't waste a good name on a day that might turn out to be a mere afterthought

Iron Maiden opened for Metallica on Valentine's Day 1991 and MASSACRED.

The Valentine's Day Massacre -- except that it didn't take place on Valentine's Day, or for that matter, even the day before Valentine's Day... Who's suggesting these names again?

SOMEBODY THINK OF THE CHILDREN

Pink Thursday - clearly the best.

Valentine's Day, as well as the pink slip that many unfortunates are receiving...

Pink Thursday - clearly the best.

Valentine's Day, as well as the pink slip that many unfortunates are receiving...

Last time I checked, TODAY IS NOT VALENTINE'S DAY.

Abe Lincoln's Revenge

Dear Lord (And Why Didn't Somebody Tell Me) the Legal Industry is Subject to Competitive Pressures & I Am Not As Comfortably Insulated From the Rest of the World as I Heretofore Imagined Thursday

The Joe the Lawyer shtick is old already

20 - agreed. From "hope and change" to "I hope you can spare some change"

But it's not Valentine's Day...

It's not Valentine's Day clowns.

And even if it ways, the "St. Valentines Day Massacre" is the correct syntax.

On the flip side, days like today give firms a great opportunity to finally meet their diversity goals.

TTThursday works for me.

"Friday the 13th Eve" -
The prequel that's more horrifying than the original.

To be PC, Afro-American Thursday

Where is nervous 1L? Wonder if he committed suicide after having his SA rescinded.

A good start.

#8 - hilarious.

thrifty thursday?

I like the name TTT Thursday. It seems apt for the firms that rolled today.

Holland and Knight numbers 243 employees 243 - 70 lawyers and 173 staff

WSJ Law Blog is reporting that Holland and Knight laid off 70 attorneys and 173 members of its staff.

http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2009/02/12/21209-the-darkest-day-ever-for-big-law-firms/

Poor Roxana St. Thomas. Her magnum opus is buried under post after post of misery.

What. a. fucking. day.

This is a sad day for the profession. I've practiced law proudly for thirty years, and I very much regret the way we who have been around for a while treat the beginners. Those junior lawyers who have been laid off will inevitably be alienated and we'll lose them, to the detriment of the profession and those who it's supposed to serve. The large law firm partners who have made these decisions should have left a few dollars on the table, and invested in the future of the profession that they claim to love by keeping their junior people through the storm even if they don't bill 2000 hours a year. The layoffs are terribly shortsighted. The irony is that most of the senior people who have decided to jettison junior people probably aren't as smart as the people they're firing.

today is also the bicentennial of Charles Darwin's birthday. Something Darwinian might work.

40 = genius

#12, you are an idiot.

Ford's Theatre Thursday

35: you'd be surprised how many of the people being laid off are actually "box-checkers" themselves.

It should be called, what it is - the celebration of Darwin's bicentennial. BIGLAW associates became so bloated they just could not survive. What better way to cull the fat than on Darwin Day. Let the best survive!

Thursday the 12th

could be this is happening today since many bonuses get paid Feb 15th -- and given the 15th falls on a Sunday - the paychecks would have to go out tomorrow.

53, and others of her ilk = Idiots who've never read Darwin.

I think it should be called "Heart-Break Thursday" or if you like headlines, we can remember this as "2009: The Year Friday the Thirteenth Fell on a Thursday."

Lawyers For Obama Day.

His economic plan is creating an army of lawyers for the ONE.

Update (5:50): Change that count to 828. The WSJ Law Blog is now reporting that Holland & Knight laid off 70 lawyers and 173 staffers.

(Link posted at 45.)

"The Bloodbath of '09."

Survival of the fiTTTest

The Day of Long Faces in the Law Library

How about, in September 11th fashion, we refer to today as "Two-One-Two." If you want, you can throw a "niner" in there.

I got "counseled out" of a Large Law Firm a/k/a laid off during the early 1990's. Saw it coming before it happened and tried to get another job with no luck. Opened my own practice. First few years were hard, but now, 14 years later, it is the best thing that every happened to my career b/c I never would have quit b/c of the money even though I was miserable. So, all you poor laid off folks: there is hope out there!!! I feel your pain after all these years, but please don't lose hope!!!!

The Day of the Douche Canoe

How about, "Stick that clenched fist in my jellyfish ass until it bleeds, then make me drink my own innards and shit them out your now open hand with has gaped by juicy ass, then make me eat it again" Thursday.

"The Culling."

Lets all get together and start a Personal Injury Defense Firm!!! I know a guy. Lives in Battery Park. Crazy money. Lets make it rain.

-Jan Cernuda

Lets all get together and start a Personal Injury Defense Firm!!! I know a guy. Lives in Battery Park. Crazy money. Lets make it rain.

-Jan Cernuda

I got "counseled out" of a Large Law Firm a/k/a laid off during the early 1990's. Saw it coming before it happened and tried to get another job with no luck. Opened my own practice. First few years were hard, but now, 14 years later, it is the best thing that every happened to my career b/c I never would have quit b/c of the money even though I was miserable. So, all you poor laid off folks: there is hope out there!!! I feel your pain after all these years, but please don't lose hope!!!!

I got "counseled out" of a Large Law Firm a/k/a laid off during the early 1990's. Saw it coming before it happened and tried to get another job with no luck. Opened my own practice. First few years were hard, but now, 14 years later, it is the best thing that every happened to my career b/c I never would have quit b/c of the money even though I was miserable. So, all you poor laid off folks: there is hope out there!!! I feel your pain after all these years, but please don't lose hope!!!!

UPENN STATE!!! UPENN STATE!! UPENN STATE!! UPENN STATE!!! UPENN STATE!! UPENN STATE!!UPENN STATE!!! UPENN STATE!! UPENN STATE!!UPENN STATE!!! UPENN STATE!! UPENN STATE!!UPENN STATE!!! UPENN STATE!! UPENN STATE!!UPENN STATE!!! UPENN STATE!! UPENN STATE!!UPENN STATE!!! UPENN STATE!! UPENN STATE!!UPENN STATE!!! UPENN STATE!! UPENN STATE!!UPENN STATE!!! UPENN STATE!! UPENN STATE!!UPENN STATE!!! UPENN STATE!! UPENN STATE!!UPENN STATE!!! UPENN STATE!! UPENN STATE!!UPENN STATE!!! UPENN STATE!! UPENN STATE!!UPENN STATE!!! UPENN STATE!! UPENN STATE!!UPENN STATE!!! UPENN STATE!! UPENN STATE!! UPENN STATE!!! UPENN STATE!! UPENN STATE!!UPENN STATE!!! UPENN STATE!! UPENN STATE!!UPENN STATE!!! UPENN STATE!! UPENN STATE!!UPENN STATE!!! UPENN STATE!! UPENN STATE!!UPENN STATE!!! UPENN STATE!! UPENN STATE!!UPENN STATE!!! UPENN STATE!! UPENN STATE!!UPENN STATE!!! UPENN STATE!! UPENN STATE!!UPENN STATE!!! UPENN STATE!! UPENN STATE!!UPENN STATE!!! UPENN STATE!! UPENN STATE!!UPENN STATE!!! UPENN STATE!! UPENN STATE!!UPENN STATE!!! UPENN STATE!! UPENN STATE!!UPENN STATE!!! UPENN STATE!! UPENN STATE!!UPENN STATE!!! UPENN STATE!! UPENN STATE!! UPENN STATE!!! UPENN STATE!! UPENN STATE!!UPENN STATE!!! UPENN STATE!! UPENN STATE!!UPENN STATE!!! UPENN STATE!! UPENN STATE!!UPENN STATE!!! UPENN STATE!! UPENN STATE!!UPENN STATE!!! UPENN STATE!! UPENN STATE!!UPENN STATE!!! UPENN STATE!! UPENN STATE!!UPENN STATE!!! UPENN STATE!! UPENN STATE!!UPENN STATE!!! UPENN STATE!! UPENN STATE!!UPENN STATE!!! UPENN STATE!! UPENN STATE!!UPENN STATE!!! UPENN STATE!! UPENN STATE!!UPENN STATE!!! UPENN STATE!! UPENN STATE!!UPENN

64 = BARACK OBAMA

Cog Crop Thursday

Are other federal clerks also having trouble getting an offer??

Thirsty Thursday

The Day I Took A Massive Poop And Beheld Its Glory; And It Was Good; And Then A Lot Of People Got Laid Off

In honor of Lincoln's birthday how about "Happy Emancipation from your Job" day.

1st year corporate V-10 associate here, on track to bill 250 in February. Am I safe or not?

I was unable to score a biglaw job after my federal clerkship - rejected everywhere - now I work for the government and love love love my job!!! and i make enough $ to support myself and pay loans. this could be the best thing to ever happen to you!

Friday the 13th-Eve: the prequel that's more horrifying than the original.

How about "STICK IT IN MY JELLFISH ASS UNTIL IT BLEEDS, CATCH THE DRIPPINGS IN A CUP, AND POUR THEM BACK INTO ME INTRAVENOUSLY" Thursday?

We are exactly six weeks from January 1st. And I just don't think that's a coincidence. I think firms wanted to see where '09 was going, and at this point, they've gotten a pretty good idea it's not improving soon.

Are there any V&E associates who can comment on how the firm is doing?

Anyone have any idea how many attorneys are hired by biglaw, total?

elie should be next. the snark was certainly appropriate during boom times. but things are really bad right now. lat at least knew when to put the brakes on. trying to cope with one horrible economic conditions is one thing. but having this news delivered by a weasel . . .

Actually, some of these happened on Tuesday of this week. Also I know that, Luce Forward was not the only ones to get rid of their 3Ls.

The Day the Bush Bomb Vested

@75:

COA clerk here. No problems. Good luck.

Someone's cooking the books, I checked my vote on the map and it has changed since I cast it.

How about "Gayest Day Ever"?

Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
Here's your pinkslip,
It sucks to be you!

WGWAG

My girlfriend moved out last week because I work too much so I have a good job about it! I'd like to get fired at this point.

Suck it Trabeck!

It's the day the law bubble finally broke. It's been deflating for a while, but between the pay cuts, layoffs, summer cancellations, 3L rescindings - rescentions - whatever, there's now a massive pool of talent and fewer places that need it. would not want to be graduating law school now and am happy to hold on to my job on a day by day basis.

I say we call it the day the "Big(f)Law F'ed 'em All"!

79 - it's all good except for the fact that i've been banging your wife all week long.

23 nailed it

Best suggestions so far:

36's "TTThursday" (much better than 16's "TTT Thursday")

68's "The Culling"

90's "Gayest Day Ever"

Elie, please add these to the poll.

Slaughterhouse Thursday

"The Great TTThursday Flush"

"Take-One-For-The-Team Thursday"

"Meritocracy Thursday"

Since I'm guessing we see more of the same tomorrow, I think we have to tie it into President's Day, how about the President's Day Purge.

Since I'm guessing we see more of the same tomorrow, I think we have to tie it into President's Day, how about the President's Day Purge?

86-- who else is dumping 3Ls?

I don't understand why we're in a rush to call today anything in particular- tomorrow may very well be just as bad if not worse, regardless of the fact that it's Friday the 13th

I second TTThursday. This is much better than most of the options in the current poll.

The Day Before Shit Really Got Crazy

Actually going to go with The Quickening because soon enough there will be only one biglaw lawyer left.

86-- who else is dumping 3Ls?

Today is Charles Darwin's 200th birthday - read into that what you will. (It's also Abe Lincoln's 200th.)

I have as dark a sense of humor as anyone I know, but I'm having a hard time coming up with a funny name for today. I've been through layoffs (in a much less stable biz than the law, in the days pre-kids and mortgage) - the experience forces you to take nothing for granted.

Today is Charles Darwin's 200th birthday - read into that what you will. (It's also Abe Lincoln's 200th.)

I have as dark a sense of humor as anyone I know, but I'm having a hard time coming up with a funny name for today. I've been through layoffs (in a much less stable biz than the law, in the days pre-kids and mortgage) - the experience forces you to take nothing for granted.

First - my sympathies to everyone who got laid off today. I hope you all land on your feet soon.

Second - Have we hit the bottom in terms of firm attrition or is this just the beginning of a terrible 2009?

while I'm glad for the COA clerk, that would be the only clerk I know of that has obtained a new offer in any of this

Keep it simple.

TTThursday

The lovely irony being the underlying mentality of the 'all-or-nothing' TTT mentality has provided the bubble that is now popping (and it ain't over, you betcha!)

110: Merchant and Gould is dumping 3Ls

113: You're out of your mind if you think this is the bottom. The only way to recognize a bottom is on the way back up. That's a long way off.

i'd go with fat thursday personally. anything that makes light of elie's weight

Thirsty Thursday.

How about "Look out for Sgt. Dave Karsnia"?

113, I would say we are hitting bottom. You have to remember that the vast majority of people who comment on this site are (1) law students or (2) extremely paranoid attorneys.

This won't last forever and I believe that we are starting to see some sunlight at the end of the tunnel. I for one have started to become busy again in the last month or so. The credit markets have started to unfreeze and the deal flow has started to pick up again. At least in my firm corporate attorney's are starting to become busy again.

How 'bout "Blood Thursday"

(not "Bloody")

phat puzzie thursday

"Pink Sock Thursday" ???

get your boy on

gorillaz - down is the new up

jim noir

Justice

every1 who visits this site is a 4chan nub

Sleep with the Fish Thursday

get your boy on

gorillaz - down is the new up

jim noir

Justice

every1 who visits this site is a 4chan nub

In case you missed it in the avalanche of layoffs coverage, check out the second "Notes from the Breadline" post, from this morning:

http://abovethelaw.com/2009/02/notes_from_the_breadline_2.php

The Valentine's Day Massacre is terrible.

How about calling today "Shakespeare's Dream Thursday"?

The Ship Be Sunk Day.

Black Thursday

On a windy Manhattan winter day
With the economy tanking under skies of gray
Associates and staff met an unkind end
As PPP’s continued to descend

Dechert released nineteen by noon
And greater losses would be announced soon
Next came news from Bryan Cave
Where fifty-eight young careers went to the grave

Goodwin Proctor continued the act
Wheen seventy-four employees were promptly sacked
Then fell the ax at Holland & Knight
The steady paychecks of hundreds vanished from sight

An industry leader in expanding too fast
DLA Piper added scores more to the unemployed caste
Then a large cull from the North Star state
As twenty-nine associates met a cruel fate

Cadwalader sent sixteen Londoners to redundancy consultation
But a week without Cadwalader layoffs would be quite the aberration
The final cut of the day came at a mid-size shop
Where more than fifty felt the ax drop

Our sorrow is deep for our colleagues fired en masse
But do keep in mind that this too shall pass
We share in your pain, your shame, your dismay
On this darkest of dark, this Black Thursday

call it:

THE TWO-TWELVE (2/12/09) CULL.

Can we stop the attorney/staff lumping? I want to know how many people who matter were laid off.

131 for Comment of the Year

"113, I would say we are hitting bottom."

You probably have been watching the CNBC pump monkeys too much. They have been calling a bottom every other week since Sept.

Krudlow said everything was fine last summer and that subprime was contained, losing millions for any one that listened to him and the other media pundits.

It's not even Valentine's Day...dumb

53, that would be a nice name if it were true. Partner's Pets aren't necessarily the brightest.

135, actually I am stating that we are hitting bottom by what I have seen recently in my practice, other practices within my firm, as well as talking with friends at other firms.

And, 53-- everyone knows that structured finance lawyers are smarter than the whole lot of ya.

--137 and I'm not a SF lawyer.

Newbie here-- what does "TTT" stand for?

We are very far from an economic bottom. Layoffs are only now rippling through the rest of the economy.

These laid-off lawyers will go out to eat less. They will cut back on their clothes shopping. They will lay off their nannies.

And so the downward spiral continues.....

141, do you pay attention to the news. Layoffs are only now rippling through the economy. I think you should go back and take a look at our unemployment figures over the past several months.

Retail actually increased this past month after seven months of dropping. I think you take your dooms day scenarios elsewhere.

I like TTT Thursday! These firms are highly irresponsible.

Why couldn't they just reduce salaries across the board? They did not want to risk the reputational hit by "freezing" or reducing. Yet, they're willing to layoff scores. Isn't that worse than "freezing" or "reducing" pay?

47 - Nice comment. Thanks.

142 - There are other bubbles waiting to burst. E.g., credit card debt (and other forms of consumer debt); commercial real estate mortgages. Plus all the Madoff-type scandals that have not yet been exposed. The cost of all the various bailouts. The creeping up of commodity prices (declining gas prices being the only thing saving us from total meltdown).

We are very, very far from the bottom.

- 141

As someone posted on another thread:

BUY GUNS AND FOOD. MOVE TO THE WOODS.

140~

http://letmegooglethatforyou.com/?q=TTT

133, you are an ass. I hope you join the bread line.

~Support Staff

#120: "This won't last forever and I believe that we are starting to see some sunlight at the end of the tunnel."

Clearly you are out of touch with reality.

142 - Retail increased this month after seven months of dropping? Really? By how many percentage points? 1%? 2%? Your source? Oh, and the "increase" occurred after seven months of dropping, you say...what was the drop compared to the recent "increase?" This is your evidence we're on an upswing?

Wake the F up! Not trying to be doomsday-ish here, but things are not getting better anytime soon and we all need to 1) buckle down, and 2) help each other out.

@131--not bad at all...but should have been billin' instead. Either you're a multi-tasking genius, or, good luck with the job hunt.

Best to all those that took the hit today. There but for the grace of God...

Sadly, this is going to be a long economic depression. The legal profession is going to get a lot smaller. Hopefully, the government will institute some kind of debt forgiveness for all these people with student loans they will never be able to pay back.

John Wilkes Darwin Day (see the john wilkes gets you down but darwin was all about adaptation to survive--works from both the firm and associate perspectives)

AS SOMEONE WHO BRISTLED VIOLENTLY EVERY TIME I READ SOME BIGLAW OR T14 KNUCKLEHEAD DERIDING LOYOLA 2L AND HIS COMPATRIOTS AND/OR MAKING A COMMENT ABOUT TTTs OR THE SUPREMACY OF CRAVATH, S&C, ALL THINGS NYC AND THE EAST COAST, . . . I WOULD PERSONALLY LIKE TO CALL TODAY SCHADENFREUDE THURSDAY.

TOO MANY LAWYERS.

C TECH ASTRONOMY.

dla piper wholesale fired all first year associates in atlanta

TOO MANY LAWYERS.

C TECH ASTRONOMY.

56 has a point. How about "Malthus was right!"

Fact is, law firms grew too big. The population is now unsupportable with existing resources. Calamity and catastrophe ensue, often in random fashion.

140/Newbie. TTT stands for third tier law school. 3 T's, get it? Very funny and clever.

This poll has over 5000 votes on it so far.

What we should call this day: Thank God I live in Texas and not NYC.

How about Change you can Believe In

Thanks BO

McDermott has delayed 3L start dates indefinitely. If they overhired last year and that made them let first years go, it seems like maybe they'll just dump the 3Ls altogether

Hope and Change Day.

'Cause you know, Obama's team has obviously got this all sewn up!

the day the billing died

Yeah, doesn't anyone find it interesting that these kinds of things never happened until the dems took over.

serves you self-centered NY and DC lawyers right. this is great. learn some legal skills, bitches.

167, why are you blaming NY and DC. It makes no sense

It's not just New York and DC. It's also Boston (Herald article, quoting Elie and Lat):

http://www.bostonherald.com/business/general/view/2009_02_13_Law_firms_laying_off_1_000:_Goodwin_Procter_axes_74/

at this point, is no news good news? or are most firms waiting for moments like today, where they can lay-off associates in unison? what about firms like Crowell, McGuire woods, Stroock, Howrey and Katten?

to all those laid off, i am so very sorry.

My fellow Americans, change is coming to America. It's true that things will get worse before they get better, but nothing good comes without hard work.

On behalf of a grateful nation, I think you for your sacrifices, and I look forward to your future contributions as productive lawyers.

Together, we can make it happen. Yes, we can. Yes, we will.

Believe in change, and change will come.

=======================================
NOTICE: I AM NOT REALLY OBAMA. THIS IS FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY. NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENTATIVE OF THE REAL OBAMA, HIS ADMINISTRATION, OR HIS AFFILIATES.
=======================================

Kotex. 'Cause the bitches be bleedin' today.

I have not read all the comments - so maybe this has already been said - but I think there is a decent chance these layoffs happened when they did to avoid the payment of 2008 bonuses. At least at my firm, you are not entitled to your bonus unless you are still employed with the firm when that bonus is paid (generally in mid-feb.).

I vote for "We-already-made-enough-money-in-one-year-to-keep-us-financially-afloat-for-another-two-or-three Thursday." I think it's an apt name to help keep things in perspective.

Employment Adjournment Thursday (EAT)

Thank Got That Shit's Over With Thursday

How bout "Ship be sinking" day?

I called it

The Day Big Law Died

at www.youngtexaslawyer.com

I related to a sinking ship too 177.

Number 170... do not worry about Stroock, they started getting rid of people a while ago. One or two associates here and there every few weeks... a very effective way to say under the radar.

Number 170... do not worry about Stroock, they started getting rid of people a while ago. One or two associates here and there every few weeks... a very effective way to stay under the radar.

Number 170... do not worry about Stroock, they started getting rid of people a while ago. One or two associates here and there every few weeks... a very effective way to stay under the radar.

You forgot: The Darwin Bicentennial Natural Selection Festival

endofesq.com has the number at 800-900

so far they have more accurate at tracking layoffs than ATL

"A good start."