Google’s Layoff Predictions?
A tipster has pointed out an interesting Google trend to us:
A sign of the times in the legal industry that I thought you might find interesting: if you have Google’s search suggestion turned on, and begin to type in virtually any law firm’s name, one of the top suggestions that comes up is that firm’s name followed by “layoffs.”
Indeed, type in “law firm” and this is what Google suggests you might be searching for:
We played the “Google game” with a bunch of law firm names. Only one of the firms we tried was free of layoff association in Google search results.
Here are some sample search results:
Google needs to add an “I’m Feeling Scared” button.
Even Biglaw’s safest firm is not exempt!
More from our tipster:
The truly interesting thing about this is it that extends down to mid-market, small-market and non-Big Law firms, many of which have not conducted any layoffs. For example, I am looking at moving to a smaller market — Portland, Maine. Even Googling Portland firms such as “Preti Flaherty” or “Pierce Atwood,” neither of which is particularly big or has conducted layoffs turns up the layoffs search suggestion. Google creates these suggestions by learning search patterns. The fact that for any law firm of any size whatsoever Google is giving this suggestion is a pretty good indication of what Google (as in the search engine itself, not the company) has “learned” about the state of the legal industry. Put plainly, Google has learned to associate law firm names with layoffs.
We did come across one firm that resisted the search pattern. It came in second to Williams & Connolly for Biglaw’s safest firm, but Google has crowned Wachtell layoff-free:
(58) 
Comments
Figgit-FIRST!
Captain FIRST!
really?
First to throughly enjoy this post
This google game is likely the result of this very site. ATL talks about these firms and talks about layoffs, thus the keyword layoffs is associated with varios law firm keywords.
Whose office do I go to get my thirty seconds of life I wasted on such a pointless story. What's next? Lawyers who take too many bathroom breaks a day can't meet their billables?
First to ask where the heck is the Biden caption contest poll?
-Biden caption contest poll troll
If you type "Obama" into google, the fourth entry on the list is "Obama Birth Certificate."
Which is surprising considering that Google intentionally removed a series of in-depth articles on the subject from it's search engine, and replaced them with liberal sites. No joke:
WND being censored from search engines?
Obama birth certificate links suddenly buried on Google News site
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?pageId=104947
Anti-Obama messages targeted by Google?
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=68599
Google 'censoring' anti-Obama bloggers?
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=82113
5- Your entire life is pointless.
7- Your life is worth less than 5's.
Yes 4. This very thread might undo Wachtell's lack of association to layoffs.
"Who gives a fuck? Who gives a crap?"
-- Fred Norris sound effect
This is silly. Not using Chrometa in this environment, sillier.
Kash!!! Who cares. The search term of a law firm connected with layoffs is obviously tied to this website. No one else on the planet gives a shit besides people who visit this website (which is the 29,000th most visited website in the U.S.).
This is by far the dumbest ATL post I have ever seen - and that really is saying something.
Dumb.
If you play the Google Game with "above the law," Google's second suggestion is "above the law layoffs."
Its sixth suggestion is "above the law black superman."
Nice try Lat. If you type in "Wachtell" alone, the word layoff will follow it as a suggestion. No one is immune from this association. Some firms obviously deserve this association more than others.
Self-fulfilling.
Let's start making more associations here and see what happens:
kashmir = stealth assassin
elie = pedophile
david lat = cabaret singer
I wonder if "imminent collapse" comes up based on typing "Winston & Strawn."
Does it really matter what comes up on the Google bar. Most of their suggestions are idiotic anyway.
http://www.stupidrightwingers.com
Queue the Latham hater in 3..2..1
Good post.
BTW, 4 = Lat. Shameless self-promotion.
I rarely comment, but this post was an atrocity. First off, what "tipster" thought this was interesting? Secondly, how fucking stupid do you have to be to realize ATL is likely the reason for the connected search (firm name) and layoffs? Jesus Christ, I expect better from my free blog and from you Kash. Step it up.
silly me
http://bawaal.com/blog/1712-white-people-stole-my-car-a-joke-on-google-that-has-become-search-trend
Latham laid off 50% of its first years in NY.
None can top Latham.
This post represents new heights of boredom for this site
This is rancid WLRK trolling. If you type "Wachtell", rather than a name nobody would ever search "Wachtell Lipton", Google comes up with Wachtell layoffs.
HTH
If you type "ass lobster" into Bing you get a picture of Bill Gates wearing a size small Hannah Montana t-shirt.
If you start typing Elie Mystal into the google search engine, words like "racist" "moobs" and "walrus" ultimately pop up.
Weird
just typed in wachtell. "Wachtell layoffs" was fifth down on the list.
A good layoff predictor is when someone misses work because of an illness or tries to organize a labor union. After my son attended a communist party meeting, though, I made an exception.
Not relevant under the FRE.
Bill Gates is an asslobster?
17, 27, and 30 are correct. Please update the post like you did after you slandered Loyola Chicago yestereday.
Dear ATL and commenters,
The suggestions you get on Google are influenced by other people's searches, but are also heavily influenced by your searches. So that fact that someone at ATL gets layoffs in their suggestions is not a shocker. Just as someone looking for a job might get "openings" after law firm as their first suggestion.
Contact Google about how their search engine works, then post a story. Not the other way around. In any event, stupid story.
Kash is only good for one thing: Talking on the cell phone while someone takes her picture.
She stayed late while sipping stale Starbucks coffee for this article. Not because she was doing journalist research work, but because she was learning how to take screen shots of Google and the paste it on painbrush app and crop it and save it as jpeg. We should all stand up in her honor.
This has to be the worst post by ATL. What is she a 5th grader?
Kash is only good for one thing: Talking on the cell phone while someone takes her picture.
She stayed late while sipping stale Starbucks coffee for this article. Not because she was doing journalist research work, but because she was learning how to take screen shots of Google and the paste it on painbrush app and crop it and save it as jpeg. We should all stand up in her honor.
This has to be the worst post by ATL. What is she a 5th grader?
Must be a slow news day at Above the Law.
I just typed "elie mystal" and "elie mystal arrested" was a result. Did he steal Kash's turducken?
Oh, and 36 and 37--dual post fail.
http://failblog.org/2009/09/09/lawyer-name-win/
Kash eats turducken? I thought she is a vegetarian.
Not sure why. But I really enjoyed this post. Well written and funny. Keep up the good work.
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11 -- I haven't heard that effect lately, but your quote doesn't sound right.
I think it's Langford saying "Who gives a shit, who gives a fuck?"
last comment so far...!!!
The ship be sinking.
This post is pretty ironic given the fact that WLRK has had stealth layoffs of junior associates, including FIRST YEAR ASSOCIATES (Gasp!!!!!). Of course, ATL would never cover Wachtell's layoffs.
That said, they got a ridiculous severance and were offered help finding a job with Wachtell's clients
this is news?
if you think you wasted time reading this, just think about how much time was wasted taking all those screen-shots.
ATL = pathetic
Just tried the google game. That's pretty pathetic. No wonder I can't find a job.
when you type in "Latham" "massacres first year associates" comes up. i wonder why.
googling Latham layoffs is awesome. You get articles about the MASSIVE, UNNECESSARY, CAREER RUINING layoffs that hit first years especially hard because the partners are ruthless dicks, and an article about Bob Dell's "no layoffs" promise.
Nicely done google.
47,
Latham didn't try to help anyone find a job. I guess they knew they'd never be able to place 400 associates, including 70 first years, so there was no point in trying.
Usually the first job of your entire life shouldn't be President of the United States. Call me crazy.
Sure, typing in "wachtell lipton" doesn't bring up layoffs, but if you just type "wachtell," then "wachtell layoffs" does indeed come up as a top choice.
Seriously? People want to know if a firm is contemplating layoffs. So they search. For the firm. And layoffs. Which is why. It shows up.
THANK YOU, 35!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-JM
31, Edward Latham, I love your schtick
There is one DC firm that doesn't seem to pull up layoffs after it's first name or after its full name.