Last week, we told you that Wilson Sonsini froze staff salaries. Today, there is more pain being spread around the legal staffing world. The Recorder reports:

Fifty-eight staffers were cut Thursday, although no attorneys were let go, according to an all-hands memo from Cooley Chief Operating Officer Mark Pitchford.
“This reduction was conducted to eliminate pockets of staffing overcapacity throughout the firm,” wrote Pitchford.

Cooley laid off 62 staffers (and 52 attorneys) back in January. Last month, we reported on stealth layoffs that occurred at the firm throughout the summer.
Given the recent reductions in attorney workforce, it’s not that surprising that Cooley had an overcapacity of staff. But the math probably does not make it any easier for those that lost their jobs.
Good luck, former Cooley staffers.
Read the full firm memo after the jump.

COOLEY GODWARD — MEMO — STAFF LAYOFFS
TO: All Hands
FROM: Mark Pitchford
RE: Staff Reduction in Force
As most of you by now are aware, today Cooley implemented a firmwide reduction in force. Fifty eight staff personnel were included in this reduction. It did not include any attorneys. This reduction was conducted to eliminate pockets of staffing overcapacity throughout the firm. In addition, over the past several months, we have undertaken a comprehensive analysis of all areas of the firm’s operations to ensure that we are well positioned as we emerge from this economic downturn. As a result, we have streamlined, and in some cases reorganized, several firm functions, invested in new technologies and endeavored to implement attorney staffing ratios commensurate with our attorneys’ changing support needs.
While by no means intending to minimize the difficulty of this reduction on those impacted, we have many reasons to be optimistic about the future. The increase in energy level across the firm is palpable. Many of our clients are starting to ramp up their business activity as the economy begins to recover. As a result, we are seeing an increase in new matters and attorney productivity is also increasing. Our business development efforts continue to bear fruit in the form of a steady intake of new corporate and litigation clients. We are advising on many significant deals and we continue to achieve successful litigation results on high-profile matters. We are also engaged in promising conversations with many terrific lateral partner candidates.
On behalf of the firm’s leadership, I thank you for your support. We are fortunate to have so many talented attorneys and staff who care so deeply about our firm. If you have questions, please reach out to members of the Executive or Management Committees, your office Partner-in-Charge or Director – our doors are always open.
Earlier: Update: Cooley’s Layoffs Were Worse Than We Thought
Partners In, Associates Out At Cooley Godward
Staff Salary Freeze From Wilson Sonsini