More Groundwork From K&L Gates
Well, it looks like we are going to make it through another day without K&L Gates announcing layoffs. We’ll note that K&L Gates has still not responded to any of Above the Law’s inquiries. The sword of Damocles continues to hang ominously over the firm’s employees.
But while management at K&L Gates continues to make everyone wait for the inevitable, the human resources department still looks like they are preparing employees for major layoffs. On Friday, we noted that the firm reminded employees about their options for mental health. Today, employees were reminded about COBRA benefits.
Just like on Friday, under normal circumstances an email like this could be totally benign. But in this information vacuum where K&L Gates will neither confirm nor deny layoffs that many people expect are coming, you have to be worried when the firm starts reminding you about benefits you won’t need … unless you get fired.
Read the full COBRA message after the jump.
K&L GATES — MEMO — COBRA BENEFITS
TO: All K&L Gates U.S. Personnel
(Legacy Bell, Boyd & Lloyd personnel may ignore this message.)
K&L Gates is required by the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) to send an initial COBRA notice to employees, or their covered dependents, who begin coverage under one of the firm’s group health plans. This initial COBRA notice must include, among other things, (i) the plan’s name and contact information of the person responsible for administering COBRA benefits; (ii) a general description of the plan’s COBRA provisions, including information about qualifying events, when COBRA benefits can be extended, and the plan’s requirements for the payment of COBRA premiums; and (iii) an explanation of when a qualified beneficiary is responsible for notifying the plan administrator about a qualifying event and the plan’s procedures for providing such notice.
K&L Gates recently sent initial COBRA notices to employees who, as a result of the recent annual enrollment, began participation in one of the firm’s group health plans or had dependents who began participation in one of the firm’s group health plans. This notice was sent to fulfill our legal requirements under COBRA and does not require any action on your part.
Additional information regarding COBRA can be found on Compass at: [Redacted]
Earlier: The Curious Case of K&L Gates
Nationwide (Impending) Layoff Watch: K&L Gates Could Make Cuts on Friday
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gorundwork....
What is gorundwork?
Gorundwork? Nice.
"Gorundwork"??!?!?!?!? In the headline??
Gorundwork? Nice.
Wow this is an all-time low for a headline!
what is a gorundwork?
This is a gorundbreaking post by Elie.
goround. seriously?
Seriously? Even Word's shitty spellchecker would catch a doozy like that.
I'll gorund and see if I can find a more blatant typo that this... Nope, this is the worst.
Epic typo.
I've had my suspicions for a long time, but the typos have to be on purpose. No one is that sloppy--particularly with people constantly pointing it out. It's just a joke and probably not worth criticizing--not that it would be worth criticizing if it weren't a joke.
"More Gorundwork From K&L Gates"
REALLY ELIE? REALLY?!?
Goroundwork - the work performed to rightsize after an acquisition of another firm.
11---That was priceless!
Sorry.
--Elie
We want Marin, we want Marin!
Rome is burning and we are harping on typos. Proof positive of why the ship be sinking. We're a long way from proofing notes, people - find some perspective before it's too late.
elie, it's cool. but seriously, perhaps you should write posts, and look at them an hour later before posting if it's not breaking news.
update on the big O? Did they dissolve?
A Damoclean sword could arguably be said to be hanging over the heads of the partners, but not the employees. Epic fail as to use of this reference...
update on OMM please.
Orrick was promised sometime this week. if there's nothing by friday i want answers.
TWO TRAILER PARK GIRLS GORUND THE OUTSIDE, RUND THE OUTSIDE, RUND THE OUTSIDE.
- EMINEM
25 - suckers
Sad, pitiful foolz . . . can you find the typo? Please be sure to point it out to us, losers.
Something like 20 posts decrying the misspelled word. WHO. FUCKING. CARES.
Chicago based firms are seriously taking it on the chin.
What's the difference between K&L Gates and Kirkland Ellis????
What class rank does an MVP student need for Covington? Are they hiring?
what the hell is the point of this post. so we have no news. so we'll report that we have no news.
cutting more names for a more respectable severance. analysis will be done soon.
Tuesday K&L Gates will send an email informing people of the unemployment benefit department's hours of service.
Wednesday K&L Gates will send a link to Monster.com and Yahoo jobs.
Thursday K&L Gates will announce that envelopes from the supply closet are sturdy enough to use to mail your foreclosed house's keys to the bank.
Just for information's sake.
GULC median ---> K&L Gates
Let's create a story out of thin air and when nothing happens we can report on how it's suspicious that nothing's happening. But WAIT! Partners are having meetings? Emails are being sent about HR issues?? There's still no confirmation of our bullshit story??? It's imminent! Any day now!! FIRINGS INEVITABLE!!!
This just in: ATL will fire all of its employees ANY DAY NOW and retool to become fashion/celebrity wedding blog. If ATL denies this inevitability or FAILS TO COMMENT ON IT we have confirmation that it's the absolute truth.
35 -- Your second paragraph is in error.
--Elie
LOLZ
ATL had it right. K&L changed their minds and have delayed things/changed plans BECAUSE ATL had it right. They want the gossip proven wrong.
It continues to amaze me that people have so much time on their hands that they pounce on any and all of Elie's typos.
The same idiots who complain about typos are probably the same people who bitch and moan when Elie is late on delivering them free content.
I realize this was really fun for you in law school - you know, when you got to sit in the front row and point out the holes in the Professor's argument, but nobody gives a fuck anymore.
Give it a rest. You're glib. Fuck off and get a life. That's all.
PS - This is Elie's mom, if it makes you douchebags feel better about yourselves.
Elie. Please start a post about the OMM rumors!
Elie,
Don't respond to these fucking losers.
Losers: Who the fuck cares about typos? This isn't the New Yorker. Get a fucking life and get back to your property flashcards. Or your depressing life.
Thanks for the coverage, Elie. This is going to be an awful week, and most of us appreciate your regular, if terrifying, updates about impending layoffs. Nice work.
Signed,
Not Elie
17 & 35 = Elie impersonators
--Elijah Poole
Pablo Picasso was never called an asshole.
you're absolutely right, 39.
One of these days a Biglaw shop is gonna get really pissed off and sue ATL for defamation (anyways they have so many attorneys doing jackshit!) - between this KL Gates post, unsubstantiated rumors about Kirkland last week and Michael Best's "dissolution" the week before that - ATL sure puts out a lot of shit that never comes to fruition.
I noticed that K&L Gates announced the opening of a new Singapore office today. Perhaps that was the reason for the partner announcement/reserving of conference rooms?
Ditto 19, 27, 39, 41. 40 comments on typos is a waste of everyone's time.
it is still not too late for hot associates to sleep around -- go for it!
What's worse: (a) the people who criticize typo's, or (b) the people who criticize the people who criticize typo's?
Now wait just one gosh-darn minute. Every time there's an "unsubstantiated" or "made up" report about a firm on ATL, that report is posted next to that firm's name and corporate logo. These are very hard to find on the internet and download, and no self-respecting blog would go to all that trouble if there wasn't real news to report.
49- let's get very meta - what about the people who criticize the people who criticize the people who criticize typos?
I hope no one here is suggesting that ATL might have a reason to publish rumors without some sort of corroboration or evidence. It's not like they gain anything from having a bunch of people get all worked up about a possible story and then come back to the site again and again, sifting through all those ads, trying to get resolution to a story that just never quite seems to resolve itself. That's just crazy talk.
helllooooo? Didn't anyone read the e-mail Kalis sent today regarding the firm's privacy policy and how we aren't supposed to forward internal firm e-mails to outside sources??!?!?!?!? haha.
I like to eat pizza
45, a.k.a. a non-equity partner from K&L Gates who is just as uninformed about impending layoffs at his own firm as the associates he thinks he's senior to: what would the damages be?
he said sword and head... in the immortal words of michael at dundler mifflin: "That's what she said"
53 - there is no question in my mind that that E-mail was exactly that: a reminder that they don't take kindly to leaks 'round here.
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Someone has to be a leak at Orrick. What's the dirt?
How's those mortgages feeling around the neck right now Mr. 2nd year with the new house?
don't worry K&L is totally top tier and can weather any downturn
60 - you are clearly a very kind individual. I would like to invite you to a party. We all appreciate your sympathy and your uplifting words in these difficult times.
Every single firm that I was rejected for in OCI has had mass layoffs and/or imploded. I've never felt so lucky in my life. Not trying to gloat at all. Just very thankful. I'm very happy with my snail's raise and conservative bonus.
I like toitles.
60 you are a worthless individual. No, check that, 60, you are a 2L without a summer job who, consequently, has no prospects after graduation in a year and a half who feels the need to laugh at others' misfortune in a last-ditch attempt to make himself feel better about his hollow existence. Jump out your window now and make it easy on the rest of us.
Remember, 45, truth is a defense to defamation. A firm that sued ATL for defamation would open itself to discovery on the truth of the alleged defamatory statement. As far a statements on this website regarding layoffs, I am sure that the partners of firms mentioned here would not want to share their testimony/internal firm documents about firm finances and their impact of layoff decsions with the entire world. A firm would have to be the most stupid collection of lawyers in the world to do something like that. The discovery responses alone it would be a field day for ATL and every other law blog, and the deposition transcripts would be even better.
45-Yes, poor law firms, they engage in stealth layoffs and then complain that their reputations are being harmed. Poor, poor law firms.
45, the Kirkland rumors of layoffs were substantiated today. ATL reported that at least four people got the axe from Kirkland NY.
39 is tom cruise
Elie...this is a joke. The COBRA notice is a legal requirement. There may be layoffs at K&L (or not), but in any case they would be completely unrelated to the notice sent out today. Do some friggin' research.
I'm sure they know that, 70: it's called a comedic coincidence. Chill. Laugh. Take a "friggin'" deep breath. Jeez.
70: Maybe. This is the "initial notice." Companies covered by COBRA should generally send this to new employees within a certain period of time prescribed by COBRA regulations, (I believe within 90 days of the date of hire). A firm might send it out (1) to all employees every 90 days just to be sure everyone gets it, (2) to all employees when there is a change in the plan(s) or plan administrator, (3) to newly hired employees on a once-every-ninety-days rolling basis, (4) to newly hired employees individually within the time limits, OR (5) TO GET THE PROVERBIAL DUCKS IN A ROW BECAUSE NONE OF (1)-(4) HAPPENED.
former K&L associate here.
Jeez, I bet you could cut the tension in that place with a fork. How about some more rumors??!!!!!
Everybody knows some people are going to be let go. Why don't they just get it over with? I'll tell you why. The partners like the look of fear on people's faces. Every year at the "Holiday Party" PS would tell us how lucky we were to have a job. A guess he's right!!!
72 here. If you really want to understand the initial COBRA notice requirement, take a look at the final rule regulating COBRA notices:
http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/regs/fedreg/final/2004011796.pdf
Also, a firm might also have sent this email to all employees to quell concerns about some COBRA notices being sent to certain individuals for a benign purpose, especially in such tense times.
K&L Gates is waiting for Skadden DC to announce layoffs first, so they can set their severance package accordingly.
What's up with this OMM rumor? Is it one person trying to stir up anxiety, or is there something to it?
So, as was pointed out earlier, this firm had a 27 % increase in revenues and 6.6% increase in PEP in 2008. How could there be that pressing a need to cut now?
K&L has added something like 600 attorneys in the past year through mergers and lateral hiring. Even in a good economy, I think the firm would conduct layoffs to trim the fat and eliminate redundancies. The current crap economy provides a good excuse to do those layoffs and more without looking evil.
Longtime listener, first time caller.
72 is right. There is no question KL Gates is doing layoffs, unless they have maybe been scared out of doing them, which would be absurd. That striver guy from WV is not THAT beholden to what the public thinks of him, and it's clear he runs that place. They are stupid for letting others figure out about them so easily, but they are a firm playing out of their league, so the fact that that have to do this should not surprise anyone.
45, at Lat's direction, ATL plays it close to the line but not that close. Only the Michael Best situation is potential tortious, and that seems like it was an actual mistake. This other stuff, even if ATL crosses the line, what are they going to do? Nixon Peabody's infringement argument was weak - it was probably fair use, and like NP is really going to fight it? It was stupid to even try. What else has there been? Ooh, Kirkland does layoffs, that is actionable? Please, Kirkland will always do layoffs and the sun will always rise tomorrow. In normal years, probably 25% of associates and NSPs leave Kirkland through normal attrition, mostly voluntary - what do you think has to happen when voluntary attrition drops to 0? Perhaps ATL shot its wad over nothing, but that is the nature of gossip.
Regarding Michael Best, perhaps it was Marin unfamiliar with the big ATL posting button, or maybe it was a canned story accidentally posted or whatever. Question would have been, could they point to actual sources? And, if it got there, Lat has basically said that he would love a publicity free-for-all about him not unveiling his sources, which would drive craploads of clicks to this site from everyone, not just lawyers and law students. Cash is king.
I've been at Biglaw firms since 2002, and I've never gotten a notice about Cobra EXCEPT when our health plans changed, and I've never gotten a notice about removing files being contrary to firm policy. It was, and it was always in the firm manual, or whatever, but they only mentioned it when I told them I was leaving. KLGates is doing layoffs, so just relax. The fact that Elie was able to ferret it out shows that this website is still useful, valid and maybe even worth all the godawful typos.
P.S. I have always keep a good personal "forms" file, which is easy to do as long as you are smart about it. Don't save that for the last minute. And, when I have been concerned about my job, I have known exactly where my personal stuff in my office has been and known what I needed to get. Working for Biglaw is like Heat - "Never have anything in your [office[ you can't walk away from [or tell security "hey, that shit is in my bottom drawer and you have better give me my bottle of Ibuprofen and my cell phone charger back]!" Now that I m a partner, if they get rid of me they can keep all my plants.
am i the only one who thinks that 24 is frickin hilarious?
I'm keeping all of my DC associate friends in my thoughts.
WTF is leadership thinking? The longer they postpone this the worse the firm looks, the more attention they will draw and the bigger news it will be when it happens. Frickin drama.
Oh dear Lord Jesus, this ain't happening, man... This can't be happening, man! This isn't happening!
http://www.dshort.com/charts/bears/four-bears-large.gif
73 sounds like a duane morris associate whojs is bitter about not making it at K&L. Bitter much?
84--JS? I think I know who that is. Why did KLNG hire that guy?
There are options:
http://www.aflcio.org/joinaunion/voiceatwork/efca/
Everyone. Stop, please stop, being paranoid. In case no one noticed, we merged with Bell Boyd over the weekend and started a Singapore office today. We are legally obliged to update at least the "new hires" from Bell Boyd about Cobra. Today's Cobra and copyright notice e-mails were simply part of the merger playbook. Stop jilting at windmills.
... jilting at windmills???
Almost as funny as the look on my secretary's face when she took it on the chin. And the tongue. And the nose. And the forehead.
87 - Why didn't they do the same when Kennedy Covington was assimilated? We never got a COBRA reminder-email-thingie. They be layin' off!
The new patriotism - pay your taxes, and the big wigs take a reduction across the boards so the little folks can keep their jobs and roof over their heads.
87 - Why didn't they do the same when Kennedy Covington was assimilated? We never got a COBRA reminder-email-thingie. They be layin' off!
The new patriotism - pay your taxes, and the big wigs take a reduction across the boards so the little folks can keep their jobs and roof over their heads.
the ship be sold
acela Bob is hungry for some K&L associates
MMM nom nom MORE GRAPES
In the old economy, the median for Covington was 3.71 at Michigan.
Look, it's time to face the music. your ass is on the line and they're gonna lay you off sooner or later. Time to draft your f*ck you very much Good Bye email. Or you can use one of ours!
http://stuffbiglawassociateslike.wordpress.com/2009/03/01/biglaw-associates-like-goodbye-emails/
http://www.theonion.com/content/news/local_idiot_to_post_comment_on
Am I the only one who things this story is off and that KL Gates will not be doing layoffs? If I recall, they had a really profitable year.
Right before you get laid off is a terrible time to start using mental health benefits. WHy? Because unmarried people who have been laid off and don't find a job in time will have to apply for private insurance once cobra wears off. In many states, they will have to disclose they have been to therapy. They will then either be denied or have sky high premiums. Wait until you've locked in private health insurance to go to therapy.
Everyone commented on the typo, but the Damocles references is just as painful. The story is about the precariousness of power and the foolishness of thinking that rulers have it so easy. It's not about being afraid of something.
Forcing allusions makes you sound like you're trying to be something you're not.
100!
Elie thought K&L was M&M, so he ate it. Only Gates remains...
They did send Cobra e-mails right after Hughes Luce and Kennedy Covington assimilations. This is nothing more than informing "new employees" of Cobra as required by law.
Speaking of Cobra, Go Joe!!!
Let me clarify things: Kalis announced at an all-associates meeting held in mid-February that layoffs and firm "proportionality" were being considered by management, and seriously. It's not like Lat and Mystal are just posting random HR emails and running to press screaming layoffs -- in that same meeting Kalis said the decision about the initial round of layoffs would be made by the end of February.
Guess what??? It's March, and the associates haven't heard anything. So, Lat and Mystal, please keep us informed with anything you hear, including rumors of layoffs you receive via email, because who knows what will be publically announced.
102 is right. If Kalis is really concerned about giving some certainty to the associates who will remain, he should make the cuts soon, so everyone can move forward from there. The rumor mill right now is horrendous and counter-productive.
Another former K&L associate here. Here is how I was told of my layoff at K&L Gates:
I was given notice of my layoff on a Wednesday mid-afternoon (about 3 p.m. or 4 p.m.?). A day prior, the secretary of the head of the Associate Committee emailed me for a time to meet and wouldn’t tell me why. Then at the scheduled time, two partners from the Associate Committee showed up at my office to break the news. No conference room was booked. Bad news traveled on foot. The chair of the Associate Committee told me that my last day would be at the end of the month (i.e. a little less than two weeks from that Wednesday). Another partner from the Associate Committee who practices employment law talked about COBRA and other termination-related topics. Then everything was a blur. I remembered they were kind enough to return the extra guest chair to the office next door.
Please just keep you chin up, smile and bow out gracefully. You know what? Life after K&L is just fine. I landed on my feet and am happier where I am (at another big law where people gossip A LOT LESS).
104 -- I'm assuming you weren't laid off last Wednesday, right?
elie,
you ought to be ashamed of yourself for writing this blog. it is nothing but conjecture and guesses. you have no friggin idea how good or bad it is at K&L, yet you write this crap and announce to the world that KL is in the tubes.
think of the damage you likely caused. I am an in-house counsel for a large company (true) and am looking to put some my company's legal work into a larger firm to consolidate firms. I am emailed this and I am worried that the people in the particular practice group, including associates that I have known before, I want to use are not going to be there because of massive layoffs. I cant risk my career so I cant, despite a desire to do so, send my work to KL until I know who is going to be laid off because the perception is that the layoffs are going to be massive.
so, think about it, even if it was bad before at KL, it is going to be worse because of your fear mongering article that causes pause in my fellow inhouse counsel to send them work. we know firms are laying off people, but you are making it seem that KL is going to fold.
for the associates that lost their job soley because you posted this article, good job elie. I am sure they know who to thank.
excuse me, 106?
Hi. How are you? Former K&Ler here. Now with another firm (that is not planning layoffs that I am aware of). More than happy to take your work off your hands. I'm at over 100 percent utilziation so I don't think I'm going anywhere.
Do you want my card?
The ship be sinking...
Kalis is such a fucking d-bag with no balls - just goes to show that you can have all the money in the world but it does NOT mean that you will transparent in fair in your dealings. KALIS BLOWS BIG FAT DONKEY DICK!
Am I glad that I got out of that shithole of a law firm. Good luck to those affected.
107 - 106 here: i wish i could but i only recommend sending to people i or others in my department know. i am not the big person on the totem pole, so to go outside the known circle is dangerous for me, especially now. i wish you the best of luck.
also, i hope that everyone knows that us in house counsel are sympathetic and feel bad about what is going on. a lot of us worked in the firms that are struggling now and have friends that either have been laid off or are in constant fear of being laid off. no one i know is taking any joy in what is happening in the firms. if they do, they are not my friend and i wouldnt associate with them anyways. heck, my pink slip may be a day away. who knows.
Good luck to everyone. the cream always rises to the top, so if you had a setback this year, you will almost certainly be back on top in the near future, i believe it.
106 - you are not in-house at a large company. I AM, and you had several "tells" in your BS story that gave it away as BS.
112 - 107 here. You think? :)
89-90: You did not get a COBRA notice because you were on the legacy KC health plan until 12/31, at which point you transferred over to the K&L plan. Hence the COBRA notice. Take a deep breath.
K&L Gates is pushing back 3L start dates to 1/4/2010 firmwide.
112- 106 here: i am sorry that you feel the need to try and out someone. actually, i am in house and dont really feel the need to prove it here. i am sure that in your sphere, you and your colleagues work in departments that operate the same, but please know that not all legal departments are setup and run like yours. your vitriol directed to me is just bad. i am sorry you are so angry.
116/106 - are you in-house counsel for the Center for Kids Who Can't Read Good?
84 & 85, If 73 is at Duane Morris, then I doubt that 73 is bitter at not being at K&L Gates. Instead, 73 most likely would be happy to be at Duane Morris rather than in a firm like K&L Gates, in light of the differences in the culture, management and morale between those firms.
106 = K&L partner in bad disguise
119, I think you nailed 106. But I suspect that 112 is a K&L Gates associate!
106:
Holy crap - grow some balls, already! If there are associates at the firm that you want to give work to, call a partner at the firm and TELL him/her that you want to give the firm a matter, conditioned on them staffing it with the particular associates that you want working for you.
Whether 106 is legit or not.....his/her attack on Elie is wrong. These firms have near full control of perceptions about their health. It takes 10 seconds for Kalis to write an email to ATL saying "the rumors aren't true, we haven't been discussing layoffs here." Don't blame ATL, blame K&L
106, seriously, your logic has flaws. 122 makes it right that you could easily have called the Billing Attorney. And so what Elie wrote the article? Like any blog, some give it a grain of salt while others may weigh in more. A large in-house should know this, as this is a basic rule of thumb. Your work doesnt solely depend on the firm, but more so on the partner with whom you are engaged. If you have specific demand for a specific associate, what is stopping you from speaking with the billing attorney to get this information? Think twice before you scream out of your lung. It is Elie that helps some folks to prepare for the worst. can you imagine yourself being fired without no warning sign? Or is it better than some medium gives you the insider information so you can braise yourself for the storm?
I think that 106 is one of my clients. He's a total douchebag, and even his colleagues make fun of him behind his back. We have to explain everything to him.
122: Good luck finding any managing partner prepared to say that. No one in this market can make promises of no layoffs. Duh.
106, are you the same asshat who told Pete that you were upset the firm had not frozen associate salaries but then accepted the firm's rate hike without a word?
The firm as it is currently configured will not fold. It will, however, lay off attorneys on top of the stealth lay offs it's been conducting since early 2008. The question is whether the firm will treat its associates wth some class. Having seen what they've done to the support staff and me and my colleagues, I sincerely doubt it.
125 - nobody said anything about a promise. its just that, if there's rumors about your firm and you respond with "no comment" you might as well be saying "yes its all true". that's reality, you stupid fuck
Almost 7:30, so today is over. Hoping tomorrow is more relaxed than last Friday. My prediction, everyone keeps their job through the weekend.