Nationwide Layoff Watch: Wiggin & Dana Proves There’s Nowhere to Run
Given the massive layoffs happening at major firms all across the industry, the plight of people at prestigious regional firms is easy to overlook. But make no mistake, nobody is safe from the recession.
We received word today that the Connecticut firm, Wiggin & Dana, laid off a number of associates yesterday. Here is the firm wide email announcing the news:
In January, we reported that the worsening economy had affected Wiggin and Dana in the same way that it has challenged all businesses, including our clients and other prominent law firms. We announced then that the firm had eliminated 14 administrative staff and paralegal positions. As part of our ongoing review of operating expenses and in connection with our continuing efforts to reduce costs across-the-board, we have further concluded that a reduction in our attorney ranks is necessary. After careful consideration and with great reluctance, we have decided to reduce our attorney ranks by 14. These reductions took effect today, and we have met with each of the 14 attorneys to inform them of our decision.We value the contributions of the attorneys, paralegals and staff affected by the reductions and regret having to make these decisions. We recognize that our former colleagues face challenges without jobs in these difficult times, and we will assist them as they attempt to reposition themselves.
According to NALP forms, the firm lists about 148 attorneys across all of its offices. The 14 laid off attorneys represent just under ten percent of the firm’s total attorney complement. But they represent roughly 22% of the the firm’s associates.
There’s been a lot of that going around.
Earlier: Prior ATL coverage of law firm layoffs
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I would expect this out of Latham, but Wiggin & Dana???
oh noes....i'm wiggin out over all these layoffs!!!
-nervous T-10 1L
soon to be nervous 1L sa
Elie: Read the first sentence of your post again.
"Given the massive layoffs happening at major firms all across the industry, the plight of people at prestigious regional firms."
I'm tired...does this make no sense?
Elie, that first sentence isn't a sentence. Also, firm-wide needs a hyphen.
Respectfully,
That first sentence is gorundbreaking.
Why is 14 the magic number here?
dude, i'm wiggin out.
Because 14 is 10% of the associate headcount.
3, 4, 5- you iz almost as gayz as nervous 1L. It be a typo, this be an blog, whoz iz cares? Get a life, a girlz, and an hobby.
8: that joke has already been mentioned...by nervous T10 1L no less.
err 10% of lawyers, 20% of associates
reading is fundamental...
/grumbles
If you hate nervous top 10 1L, you hate America!
Why do you hate are country?
This isn't "are" country.
BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD
Great post, 10. And I agree with you completely.
Grammar police? Get a fucking life. As long as Elie gets the news out , I could care less about his grammar and editing mistakes.
Respectfully,
Dear Associates,
HAPPY FIRING DAY!
Today is the day you realize that you will be poor. Very poor. You will never be able to pay off your massive law school debts. Your family and friends will pity you, others will laugh at you. You will never enjoy the career or success you dreamed of in law school.
But you can overcome this setback. There are still jobs to be had in retail. There is no shame in stocking shelves for a living.
For the men among you, this means that you will probably have a hard time finding a wife or girlfriend. For the women, you can still latch on to a man with a job. But be prepared to spend a lot of time on your back, as this is the only way you can "add value" now.
Sincerely,
The Partners who did this to you.
I would compliment you, but I'm busy mulling over Wiggin & Dana's complement of attorneys.
Used to work in their mailroom in college, btw. Good people.
i dont know how prestigious this firm is, but their website looks like it was put together on the cheap, and i mean, two dollar hooker cheap. look at the practice group pages. for fun, guess how many fonts and font sizes are used on each.
and yes, i am sad to see those people go. i wish them the best. God help us all.
great, the website just crashed. good job ATL.
Even the guy in the mailroom is making fun of Elie.
Please note, it's WIGGIN, not Wiggum.
Statistics are like a lamp-post to a drunken man - more for leaning on than illumination.
Time to update the resumes guys and gals. Hmm, let's see here how do I prop up the fact that I spent the past 3-4 years performing due diligence and document review while being grossly overpaid? Looks like Sallie Mae may be asking for a bailout as law school loan default rates are about to skyrocket. Happy early St. Patty's Day!
The ship be sinking...
I interviewed here and almost decided to work here. The people were incredibly nice and the place was extremely non-pretentious. Completely kicked ass compared to all the V20 firms I interviewed at. (I went with a boutique over Biglaw based on the fact I hated the douches at the Biglaw interviews). Sorry to see this affect this place. They seemed wonderful.
A firm with the 14 fetish? Is it a magical number?
Layoff at Wiggle and Vagina.
Does anybody know which offices or practice groups were affected?
Law firms in Connecticut? What's next, electric power in the deep south? I spent my days between Princeton and Harvard Law on an my father's estate in Connecticut. We wore our knickers rather slackened, twas the style back then.
Elie, Please publish a compilation of David Brent's nuggests of wisdom. This stuff should be packaged and sold.
22% of the firm's associates is a HUGE cut. this is terrible.
with a reduction this large is it inevitable that they will rescind 3L offers? or have they already?
Kill the Partners
By Tyrone Green and his Reggae Band
I was laid off from Wiggin & Dana,
had to move to a shantytown.
Now we have no money
so we have to sleep on the ground.
I went to Yale cross the Green. And now I dig a ditch.
My wife she do laundry, life sure was a bitch.
But 'till we killed the partners.
Ooh we gonna make them hurt.
Kill the partners yeah.
But pay my severance first
We sing of fair reviews and equality.
But we really don’t care
we just want money money money.
We want to drive in a big black limousine.
Get so high off ganja we cant even see.
And then we kill the partners.
Ooh we gonna make them hurt.
Kill the partners. Yeah.
Ooh but pay my severance first.
When they come for my review.
We gonna wait outside.
We gonna hit them in the head with a bat
and make them cry.
And then we kill the partners.
Ooh we gonna make them hurt.
Kill the partners. Yeah.
Ooh but pay my severance first.
The fired people from NY, Stamford and New Haven offices, from corp, lit, RE, IP. And yes, it is a nice firm, and yes, they are unpretentious, and yet, they still fired people.
What about the Hartford office?
What about the Hartford office?