This is proof that even of counsel or as I like to call them "Hopefuls Holding Out," are not immune to hybrid tough love. My dreams are slowly becoming a reality.

to think everyone was shitting on some other firm first when bonuses came out

Does this mean that Skadden counsel actively read ATL?

Hey Skadden Secure,

How do like this.....haha

I think it's pretty cool that a firm would freeze counsel salaries before freezing an associates salary, or just laying them off.

The ship be sinking...

As a Skadden 2L summer associate, how terrified should I be on a scale of 1 to 14?

What is the typical comp range for a counsel at Skadden?

This was the only story actually worth posting today. The KS story would have been, too, if you hadn't let people be awful about it.

PE - You meant "wet" dreams

(.) (.)

First

Skadden has only avoided laying off people if staff attorneys and non-attorney staff are not people.

I didn't even know of counsel had lockstep increases; I thought they negotiated their salaries on a case-by-case basis.

Now is the time to crack each others' heads open and feast on the goo inside.

14, I think, has it right. Skadden is like Cravath in that they cannot be looked at as weak. Of Counsel are disposable people. Nobody really knows they are there.

Does anyone know how much counsel are paid at Skadden (or elsewhere)???

Does anyone know how much counsel are paid at Skadden (or elsewhere)???

Freezing salaries is a lot better than reducing salaries, wihch is what they did to counsel at stroock.

12 - low hanging boobs or eyes?

The partners gathered to vote,
On how to keep Skadden afloat.
"Let's freeze the pay,
Of our counsel today!
They're clearly not lawyers of note."
- Another Trite LImerickist

I got the impression (as a summer) that these guys made anywhere from 300-600, negotiated each year. Why would they announce a freeze, when there was no structure to begin with?

if you become counsel at skadden, isn't that a "promotion" from being an associate? if so, is this a way to send a signal to the high salaried "senior associates"?

it's not that same as "of counsel," which are the former partners, individuals with technical expertise, etc.

24 - I wouldn't call it a promotion. It seems more like a you work your ass off an make us a lot of money but we'll never trust you with clients or leadership kinda move.

Aren't they structured a lot like Latham?

Are they on suicide watch now?

Counsel are more like trophies and sometimes get tarnished.

Counsel at Skadden do make a lot of money, so this is really non-news. They'll make it back in bonus or when everything recovers.

It is true that some counsel do have negotiated pay packages, but for most counsel, being promoted means you continue with lockstep pay increases above the $285,000 cap for a typical associate.

There are other perks as well, but, as some have noted here, counsel are not partners. Some have the opportunity to become partners later, others do not. The longer one remains a counsel, as a rule, the less hope one can have of ever making partner.

On the other hand, 300-600k (or more) is still a lot better money than some partners in smaller shops. It's still Skadden and everything that comes along with that fact.

Poster no. 17 is correct about how peer firms view "of counsel" personnel. The "of counsel" designation was designed to slow down the inflation of partner ranks. When I started my legal career in 1968, a normal equity partnership track for star associates was 5-6 years. In the early 80s, this was increased to 7-8 years. To further slowdown the dilution of profits per partner, creative partnership track models were created (i.e., non-equity, income partners, etc.). "Of counsel" are mostly attorneys that have some talent (legal skill) but little to no ability to draw big clients or business. They are given a couple of years to prove us wrong and if not, they are shown the door. Unfortunately, I believe this is what happened to Mark Levy at KS. Mr. Levy in my opinion took the coward's way out. He had contacts with the Clinton administration and could have landed on his feet in the Obama administration (i.e., cushy govt. job making six figures at DOJ). Mr. Levy was a hopeful holding out on an illusory dream. Apparently, the failure of accomplishing that dream destroyed his weak will and now his poor family must suffer.

Id lateral to skadden if I could

- v5

is counsel the same thing as "special counsel"??

I would say this is a very Latham thing to do, but then again, they are not conducting mass firings so I guess it wouldn't be appropriate.

at Bingham, it goes 1 - 5th year associate, then two years of counsel, then eligible for partner. Skadden probably just copied that model.

Yowza! Wowza! Honestly, though, who the fuck cares? This means nothing for anyone that reads/posts on ATL.

Limericks are the only shtick on ATL that isn't intolerable garbage.

YOU ARE ALL IDIOTS
-SKADDEN PRESTIGE

why reduce salaries when you can just fire?

-Dave Gordon, MP of Latham

"Counsel" is NOT the same as "of counsel" at Skadden. "Of counsel" is a similar to a "professor emeritus" and provides mostly consulting on cases.

"Counsel" are attorneys that have come up through the associate ranks--some counsels go on to make partner, and others are content to stay "counsel." You make bank without having the pressure of being a Skadden partner.

Despite how transparent Skadden is about its associate compensation, they are very hush-hush about counsel compensation.

8... on a scale of 1 -10 --- ZERO

Skadden isnt going anywhere. Neither is Cravath. Or Sullivan. Or any of the true NY heavyweights. They make enough money to weather the storm even in bad times. Any firm whos PPP can sink by 1/4 and they still remain in the top 10 for PPP is a safe place to be, and that goes for Skadden too. IT is the #1 grossing law firm in the US. Dont worry.

Unless you are going to one of their non-NY,DC,Chicago, or LA offices. Then yeah worry a little, a very very little

Anyone see that Boston Legal episode where the autistic of-counsel doesn't make partner at his 15th year and then snaps and holds a knife to the managing partner's throat? That will start happening everyday here pretty soon...

Ruh roh, one of the kiddies just figured out how to post ascii pr0n

30

I see that Partner Emeritus has reinflated his wind bag...

Skadden is kicking itself for paying bonuses at twice the level that everyone else paid this year.

Also, no announced associate layoffs =/= no associate layoffs.

This comment is addressed to post no. 41.

I recall in December of 1986, a senior associate (11th year I believe) was relieved of his position. His reaction was to take a dozen aspirin in his office. The paramedics were called and his attempted "suicide" was the talk of the week at the firm. The associate in question lacked a spine. He was told year after year to look for an alternative opportunity but he continued to hope and hold out on becoming partner. I saw straight through his suicide attempt, which was nothing more than a pathetic ploy to garner attention on himself. After this incident, the firm implemented the escort policy. A terminated employee is given five minutes to gather what they can and then he/she is escorted out of the premises. All other personnel belongings and effects are fedexed to the terminated employee. The escort policy minimizes fanfare and the drama of an outgoing malcontent associate or counsel. What happened at KS would never happen at a peer firm. The closest a terminated employee can come back to our building is the lobby before the security terminal. All terminated personnel are considered persona non grata at the firm and the building. For the record, a terminated attorney who cannot take his/her own life is too much of a coward to take someone else's life. I sleep well at night and I give terminated employees no thought after their departure.

30 (Partner Emeritus)- I remember you, I fucked you up the ass doggie style in your office with my big cock, you moaned like a bitch in heat until I shot my load up your ass, you jerked your little prick off afterwards.

Counsel's a really popular positions for specialists. On any given M&A deal, a big corporate firm like Skadden might need a tax specialist, an IP specialist, an environmental law specialist, a labor law specialist, an employee benefits specialist, etc. You need really good attorneys on staff with a lot of knowledge to do this work and negotiate these deal points. But for the most part (though certainly not always), these attorneys exist to provide advice to other partner's clients. It's hard to be a rainmaking employee benefits partner at a firm like Skadden. And if you were a rainmaking partner with a ton of your own clients, you probably wouldn't be providing specialist support to other people's clients. 20 years ago it wasn't a big deal to make a really skillful specialist a partner. But in today's legal world, where the ranks of equity partners shrink every year to push profits up, you don't get a seat at that table unless you can bring in business to match. And that's where the counsel position can really come in handy for firms. It's a way to retain skilled lawyers that are critically important to the firm, but will never generate $2.5 million a year in profit.

PE: Be careful not to inflate that wind bag with a lot of hot gas...

I haven't gotten laid in 2 months at my V10 firm. Is it just me or is it harder to get paralegal or assistant pussy in this market??

I also remember fucking Partner Emeritus up the ass without a rubber

Who put this dick on my back?

50

Did you get a long, self righteous lecture afterwards???

Hmm. I don't remember having ANY significant relationship with Partner Emeritus in the past. What's the deal?

46/50 ditto.... I fucked Partner Emeritus up the ass also

i remember partner emeritus. I didn't fuck him but a bunch of buddies got together and bukkaked all over his face.

partner emeritus, shut the fuck up. your schtick is tired and annoying.

54-Unlike 50, I do hope you practiced safe sex(?)

49: As a HORNY CWT '05 NY corporate associate, I am happy to help out :)

I find it distasteful that most of you would fantasize about committing buggery with a man that has trailblazed a path for others to follow in the legal profession. The irony of these statements lies in that in the real world, I am in more of a position to symbolically sodomize your careers and leave them to fester and wither away on the curbside. To me, you are all nothing but eunuchs on the way out.

55 - comment of the year. bukkake? hahahahaah

I can't believe that there are 50+ comments without anyone pointing out that these Counsel may have a claim against Skadden if they were relying on the extra money from there salary to cruise Times Square for women of the night. I have to check but I think it may be Restatment 89 (or somewhere therabouts).

Partner Emeritus, you are not in a position to do shit. ou are a 1L in a TTT school. suck a dick.

Frozen counsel salaries at Skadden? Sounds like somebody paid out too much in bonuses...

I teabagged Partner Emeritus with my balls, he tried to get them both in his mouth at the same time. I remember that he had a real small cock.

PE: Just admit it, you get off on the abuse!

I once had an anonymous sexual encounter with Partner Emeritus in the Times Square T.G.I. Friday's bathroom. He eyed me as I was urinating, so I followed him into the stall. I immediately dropped my pants and made him lick my grundle, after which I proceeded to sodomize him with my cock, the plunger, my fist, and a T.G.I. Friday's cocktail glass.

After the glass broke off in his ass, I ran out as fast as I could after punching him in the stomach and slapping his face with my still-erect cock. He never did mention he was of-counsel, but I could have guessed.

It's pretty pathetic that this is the firm Latham wishes it could be one day.

Partner Emeritus deep throated my 11 inch cock. I backhanded him after I finished, and then he beat off his tiny cock.

65-I bet PE then sued TGIF for the broken glass in his bum.

51 - I believe the correct phraseology would be:

Skaddenite here: Who put this dick on my back?

69 (how apropo),
PE put his tiny dick on your back

Dear Partner Emeritus, the world would be a better place if someone stuck a gun in your mouth and blew your f__king brains out. You are a complete A__HOLE.

C'mon now! PE is OLD SCHOOL! In his day, such unconscionable butt-fucking would NEVER be discussed so openly.

PE is the funniest cat that comments on these threads. And you all deserve his hybrid tough love package.

I wonder if Kash's ass lobster snaps at Eliie when he puts his dick on her back?

According to some of these posts, PE has been getting an extra portion of "tough love."

Did you know that when you're on the birth control pill, there is no medical need to have a period?

Partner Emeritus,

In this downturn, are firms more likely to lay off associates or counsel? I think it's surprising that Kirkpatrick decided to terminate someone as experienced as Mark Levy even if he wasn't a rainmaker.

cadwalader sent out welcome packages to its incoming first years--start date remains october 5.

cwt to v5.

cadwalader sent out welcome packages to its incoming first years--start date remains october 5.

cwt to v5.

60 -- you're thinking of Restatement 90.

Justice Souter is retiring. This deserves a siren.

BREAKING NEWS: Justice David Souter plans to retire from Supreme Court, NBC News reports

Amen 81. Lat goes on vaca and the whole site goes to shit.

Yup. Souter is saying peace out to the court. Here comes the first lesbian SCOTUS justice! With the new Dem supermajority, Obama can push through whoever he wants.

With Obama as President, that's not all that much news.

ELIE: WAKE UP

SOUTER RETIRED!!!

LAT IS GUNNA BE MAD!!!

RESTATEMENT 90!!!!!!!!!!!

ABC News reporting that Hillary Clinton will be nominated.

RESTATEMENT 90!!!!

RESTATEMENT 90!!!!!!!!!!

90!!!!!!!!!!

Justice Souter retiring: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103694193

Hey Elie what the fuck happened to that Edificial website. Did that fold?

MSNBC reports Obama will appoint Miranda from Sex in the City.

Counsel at Skadden make about $425-600K. Most are clustered right around $500K. A litte less in down years, a little more in good ones.

I'm deeply offended by the lewd nature of some of the comments here.

Why doesnt AbovetheLaw ban the IP addresses of people who leave these filthy comments?

Maybe it should report them to their law firms since many of them are clearly posting comments from their law firm computers. Isn't that grounds for disbarment?

As for the topic at hand why is a salary freeze news in this market? Because it isn't a salary REDUCTION?

I'm deeply offended by the lewd nature of some of the comments here.

Why doesnt AbovetheLaw ban the IP addresses of people who leave these filthy comments?

Maybe it should report them to their law firms since many of them are clearly posting comments from their law firm computers. Isn't that grounds for disbarment?

As for the topic at hand why is a salary freeze news in this market? Because it isn't a salary REDUCTION?

C'mon PE, you pompous ole rump wrangler. Weigh in here!

8: you shouldn't be scared. you should have already accepted the fact that you are a fungible and disposable monkey long ago. If you haven't, then you're a sucker. If your fear was measured by a guitar amp's volume, it would go to eleven.

Please tell me you've at least seen that movie.

www.laidoffdiary.wordpress.com

Incoming Skadden associate. Heard about all of these freezes and economic environments.

Am I fail?

You're all idiots.

-Skadden Sidebar

(maybe this will make it more likely I'll have a job to go back to?)

8====D

Skadden to Half-Skadden???? What's the world coming to???

Incoming Skadden associate.

If you have to ask.....

@102.

I'm half the firm I used to be...

Partner Emeritus is the fucking man. A laugh riot of accurate firm insight, bolstered by decades of experience.

I'd like to know more about this Skadden "counsel" thing. Can one remain "counsel" permanently? It seems like a pretty good gig- get good work, make great money (though not partner money) but not have to bring in clients.

And is this type of position available at other firms? It does not appear to be at mine, which is more "up or out."

Assuming one does not make partner in Biglaw, is this "counsel" thing an option? Instead of going inhouse or going to government, is it possible to move from an "up or out" firm at year 8-10 to a firm like Skadden that does the "counsel" thing, and then just stay there forever working hard and doing good work?

SkaTTTen blows--end of story.