Nationwide Layoff Watch: EAPD Lays Off 60
Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge had a round of staff cuts back in November. That seems like ancient history. But it looks like the firm could not hold its fire forever. Today, both attorneys and staff were informed that EAPD would have to cut back. Above the Law obtained this statement, from an Edwards Angell managing partner Walter Reed, and COO Jeff Hunter, explaining what has happened today:
After careful consultation with the Firm’s Department Heads and governing committees, we have reached the difficult decision that the Firm must reduce the size of its workforce. Today we will inform about 25 lawyers and 35 staff that their employment with the Firm is ended, and will offer them severance arrangements similar to those offered by the many other firms that have also made these difficult decisions.
According to the latest NALP numbers, that is over 15% of the firm’s associates. We understand that the cuts hit the firm’s offices in Providence and New York, as well as Boston. The severance package should be the market standard.
Read the full firm statement after the jump.
EDWARDS ANGELL PALMER & DODGE — STATEMENT — LAYOFFS
The past year has been extraordinary for the global economy and we, like our clients and many other law firms, are faced with unprecedented economic challenges. Indeed, our own Firm’s challenges are driven primarily by what is happening to our clients - lower business levels and fewer transactions and other activities requiring our services. In the face of these difficulties, we have a responsibility to the partners and employees to maintain our Firm’s strength and prosperity for the long-term. With expectations of a continued weak economy and slow recovery, that responsibility must include aligning our resources with the anticipated demand for our services. While we have an abundance of talented lawyers and staff and many strong opportunities in the marketplace, in a number of instances our lawyer and non-lawyer personnel are not aligned properly with the practice or geographic needs of our business. After careful consultation with the Firm’s Department Heads and governing committees, we have
reached the difficult decision that the Firm must reduce the size of its workforce. Today we will inform about 25 lawyers and 35 staff that their employment with the Firm is ended, and will offer them severance arrangements similar to those offered by the many other firms that have also made these difficult decisions.
The people who will be affected are our friends and trusted colleagues. They will be
missed and they will need your kindness and respect during this difficult time. We recognize, too, that it will also be a difficult period for those not leaving the Firm. To help everyone understand the reasons for this decision, and to describe the initiatives the Firm is taking to promote its success when the economy recovers, there will be a meeting of all US personnel tomorrow morning by conference call, followed by meetings in each office at which questions can be asked and more information provided. In the meantime, we thank each and every one of you for your dedication and hard work.
Walter and Jeff
Earlier: Staff Layoffs at Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge These Things Never Happen On Boston Legal
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NO!!!!
When will it stop?
3Ls? First?
They tried their hardest to keep as many people on board for a long time. At least they are doing this with some dignity and grace.
pretty classy memo.
My thoughts are with those being let go today. That said, I hope that unproductive partners are among those getting the ax. There are more than a few of them at EAPD.
EAPD also did a few layoffs about a year ago.
http://abovethelaw.com/2008/03/nationwide_layoff_watch_edward.php
"Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge had a round of staff cuts back in November."
Actually, they had a round of layoffs in April 2007. By round I mean one. And by layoff I mean a for-cause offer rescission.
The 15% figure is very misleading.
EAPD is laying off 25 laywers. It has about 350-ish associates and counsel, so it's about 7%-8% of associates and counsel.
EAPD is a horrible place to work and those who are being let go are the lucky ones.
First years?
....DARY!!!
Boston still looks better than NYC, Cali, Philly.
Time to sharpen the blade.
Will someone please tell Walter and Jeff that the Dow is up again today and that the recession is over?
QUINN REMAINS REMAINS
This is a law firm? Where are they based out of, Syracuse?
Meh.
There's no info listed on the first years' bio pages, just their pics. Does that mean they were axed?
10 = layed off or no offered bitter ex-employee
any word which offices? Boston?
Boston got hit, so did first years.
The incredibly low number of posts about this firm indicates very clearly that nobody cares about them at all.
layoff affected NY,BOS, & Prov
21 - do you know which practice groups?
I know corporate, don't know about any other groups.
It's time to get out of Dodge.
All will be well.
The Market will provide.
What EAPD omits from its very carefully worded memo is that this is just the first round. They plan to conduct another round od surreptitious cuts in the near future, which will affect low-end income and equity partners. Don't expect a "classy memo" for that round. I wonder also whether any lawyers not included in the doomed 25 were given notice to scram quietly in the next several months.
This firm does layoffs and gets 28 (now 29) total comments... the Dechert annoucement gets over 130 in less time. What does that tell you about the perception of EAPD?
Who cares about this third tier dump? Just another regional wannabe that gre too fast and by next year will have gone the way of Wolf Block. Expect partner defections from bizlaw in the next six months. Then sound the death knell.
25 lawyers and 35 staff. Because staff are so much more expensive than lawyers.
These firms are incompetent in personnel management.
EAPD is an awful place to work. EVERYONE is so unhappy, but can't leave because there is no place to go!!!!! Many single mothers seem to be getting hit -- not the ones that don't do any work and should be let go. Hey - what about all the upper-management. They are SO top-heavy with management -- hopefully a lot of them get the ax today!!! Palmer & Dodge should never have let Edwards & Angell take over the firm - the P&D partners screwed up big time there!!!!!!!
EAPD is an awful place to work. EVERYONE is so unhappy, but can't leave because there is no place to go!!!!! Many single mothers seem to be getting hit -- not the ones that don't do any work and should be let go. Hey - what about all the upper-management. They are SO top-heavy with management -- hopefully a lot of them get the ax today!!! Palmer & Dodge should never have let Edwards & Angell take over the firm - the P&D partners screwed up big time there!!!!!!!
As a former P&D-er who left before the takeover, I just want to say, sarcastically and with full schaddenfreude, Nice work, partners. Step back and behold what you created. A once vibrant, prosperous firm that people for which people genuinely enjoyed working is now just another dull, mediocre, sputtering assembly-line quality firm that is teetering on the brink of extinction. You reap what you sew.
Why EAPD receives so little attention? This is a very good firm.
There is nothing good about that firm. Too many losers from the E&A side.
Lack of comments for this story does not indicate EAPD's (in)significance. Rather, it is an indication that EAPD employees (1) have class and (2) have enough work to do that they're not taking time to comment on ATL.
36= EAPD douche who in fact does not have anything to do other than post firm propaganda on ATL. Isn't there some bloated partner's arse to go and kiss, you tool?
36 - Try again, idiot douchebag. EAPD is nothing more than a third-rate wannabe BIGLAW firm filled with douches like you.
Anyone who can claim with a straight face that EAPD associates "have enough work to do" on the same day that the firm conducts announced layoffs is an idiot of the highest order.
38 is awesome.
-Not 38
36,
Class? I've had one dealing with an attorney at that crap firm. Said attorney was obnoxious.
How much do these jokers pay first years?
41 - nothing. They fired them.
EAPD should be letting some of the management team go. The jobs are redundant. How many support staff supervisors do they need when there's no support staff to be had!
42 - Did they really fire all the first years?
I totally agree with 43! Most of the management team are useless anyway. Heard a lot of 1st years were let go. Did you also know that they cancelled their summer program for this year and are having the new associates start in January. How long do you give this place before it folds?
45: About 6 months.
45: they actually are having the new associates start in March, according to my source.
I love the title of this thread compared with the Dechert thread - Dechert "fired" people, while the people canned at EAPD apparently were only "laid off." What justifies the sloppy beej that Elie has been giving EAPD?
anyone litigation associates out there need a job?
God, it's bad when the East Albany Police Department is laying people off.
GTO was on the cutting edge.
EAPD? Since when do we care about police department layoffs?
52,I think you missed the point of 50's post.
Interesting that my law school has two postings for Edwards Angell, one for insolvency work in DE and one for litigation work in CA. How can they be hiring with all of these layoffs?
Since when does EAPD have a Calif office?
Did this firm layoff any 1st or 2nd years? Any idea where the hits where in terms of classes?
at least 2 first years were laid off.
57 measley comments, many of them non-substantive. It's like a funeral that no one goes to. This firm obviously won't be missed when it finally folds in six months.
At least three first years were let go, and that is not counting boston.
fyi EAPD is a medium sized firm spread out through the East Coast, London and Hong Kong, the firm has a very strong East Coast presence. Today was a very sad day. Many talented people were let go as this was not a performance based layoff. Many 1st years were let go, 3rd years and beyond were let go. There were single mothers let go, this is true. One question does remain for me...why so many people in management and HR remain due to the second round of layoffs .... I guess they will be overseeing seeing the partners next....
oh my god that is horrible news for those 9 incoming summers.
Canceling summer this late in the year is really despicable. This sort of thing should make T20 schools bar EAPD from OCI.
Singling out one law firm in today’s economic climate is unproductive and pointless. ALL law firms today are currently navigating thru a challenging economic environment.
As unfortunate as layoffs may seem, they are usually an indication that a firm recognizes the inequities in work flow / work force, and is actively working to re-balance this formula. Speaking personally, I'd be more concerned if a firm wasn't periodically evaluating these things in today's climate.
On a broader note, due to an overly accomodative monetary policy in the last decade, the US economy has evolved in an extremely asymetric pattern, with the emphasis being what Eric Jensen playfully refers to as the "FIRE" economy (Finance, Insurance and Real Estate). With the collapsing of the US residential real estate bubble, and the subsequent seizing of global credit markets, is it any wonder that industries with a large focus on these areas (specialty law firms, financial firms, insurers, etc.) are seeing a similar downturn?
Americans - and even vote seeking politicians, seem generally unwilling to accept the concept of recession- especially when they've been told their economy is so flexible and dynamic. Austrian scholar Mises believed that recessions were not something to be fearful of, but rather the markets way of purging out the mal-investment, creating the necessary re-channeling of future resources to a more productive, sustainable busness model.
With that said, it is hoped that today's recession, creates opportunity in previously unheard of areas- such as international law (thru developing nations and the global economy) and environmental law with the birth of the green revolution.
America's law firms, and her economy in general, seem to be having an "Atlas Shrugged" moment. Hopefully- in all her wisdom, she reconginzes this opportunity and seizes it.
It's hard to believe that comments regarding the EA/PD merger continue. We all know that it's difficult to bring together two long-standing cultures into one. Edwards & Angell was a multi-office firm with a stellar reputation. In my market, it was known to be the place to be, but there were very few opportunities for many years because of low turnover. The longevity in the staff was fantastic. I understand that P & D was a great place to be as well. The firms obviously merged for business-positioning and economic reasons. That's the nature of the beast these days. So enough of the "EA was the demise of PD" and vice versa! It's a sad day in all the offices when we lose our colleagues. With the uncertainty that remains and the difficulties facing the ongoing attorneys and staff with reduced personnel, give it a break on the bashing.