Layoffs, Willkie Farr

Stealth Layoff Watch/Impending Layoff Watch: Willkie Farr

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Last week, a very angry comment appeared in one of our threads:

Well its official Wilkie [sic] Farr Gallagher has started the rounds of FIRINGS. It is utterly despicable that these firms can turn around and fire people under the guise of “poor performance”. After treating their associates as two bit whores for years they sending them out when the fleet is in. As soon as the ships leave the harbor the partners at these firms toss their associates out like the used prophylactic used to service their clients. Its understandable that in a bad economy that belts have to be tightened but to have the outright GALL to place the blame on the associates who have worked 80 hour weeks and worked through weekends for you, just to stamp them with “sub-par” is outrageous.

The truly troubling point is that the Mayor of New York Mr. Bloomberg seems to be ok with such behavior. Since he has no in house council he attorneys are Wilkie attorneys, so in a sense his own employees. I for one am not sure I can vote for or abide by a man that allows his own employees to flat out degrade associates like that. Since there is a growing number of individuals who seem to come across a similar situation maybe a statement needs to be made. Bloomberg wants to be mayor again, maybe he should side those of us that need his help and damn the disreputable firms, otherwise we’ll have to find someone who will.

For those of you who are not fluent in ATL commenter-speak, allow me to translate: “Willkie is doing stealth layoffs. I’m voting for Bill Thompson because I got fired from Bloomberg News for poor performance. I think sailors look so cute in their little hats.”
After running down sources for almost a week, Above the Law can now confirm that stealth layoffs have actually occurred at Willkie Farr, and more formal moves could be coming.
We get into the details after the jump.


Multiple tipsters report that Willkie has quietly told senior and mid-level associates to start looking for another job. Our sources don’t have reliable numbers on how many people are being shown the door, as the firm is trying to keep the news quiet. The affected associates have been given five months to find work. They’ve been told that they still must come into the office, but they will not be staffed on new matters. These stealth layoffs have occurred in the New York and D.C. offices.
But, the associates that have been let go in this manner could be the lucky ones. Other sources report that Willkie is actually gearing up for public layoffs of a significant amount of associates. Some sources put the impending layoff number as high as 10%.
Our sources were just as angry as the average ATL commenter. Here’s a family-friendly report from one of our tipsters:

[This is] a far cry from the “we take care of our people” thing that Willkie generally espouses.

Willkie spokespersons did not respond to our multiple requests for comment.
Willkie had avoided some of the worst fallout from the Great Recession. But top firms in New York City are not immune from this market crisis. Not by a long shot.
Earlier: Prior ATL coverage of law firm layoffs

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