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Nationwide Layoff Watch: Goodwin Procter Makes Grown Men Cry?

Thursday, November 5, 2009 1:49 PM - By Elie Mystal

goodwin Procter logo.JPGIt’s been a tough day at Goodwin Procter. Multiple tipsters report that the firm is laying off both attorneys and staff today. One source reported on the human toll of losing your job:

[L]awyers were just laid off this morning at Goodwin Procter in Boston. There are both men and women crying in the halls.

It’s not clear what triggered the tears, since Goodwin handled the dismissals professionally, appropriately, and in a manner similar to other top firms. Are Goodwin guys just more sensitive?

Goodwin has laid off 21 attorneys and 34 staff. Here is the critical part from the firm-wide memo Goodwin Procter just sent out to its associates:

In anticipation of a slow economic recovery, we took a number of actions during the year to manage our staffing model, secretarial ratios and discretionary expenses. The end result was that while we were largely successful in realigning resources to meet client needs and market demand, there remains some overcapacity within the firm.

After careful deliberation, we have made the difficult decision to reduce our associate ranks by 21 people and our professional staff ranks by 34 people.

Most of the attorneys who were cut were second-year associates in the firm’s Business Law Department, out of its Boston office.

Read the full memo, after the jump.

GOODWIN PROCTER — MEMORANDUM — LAYOFFS

Throughout 2009, Goodwin Procter spent a significant amount of time and effort managing capacity at all levels of the firm, as well as identifying ways in which to operate more efficiently as an organization. While we are cautiously optimistic about an eventual economic upturn, we are realistic - based on existing and projected market demand for legal services - about the timing and pace of that upturn.

In anticipation of a slow economic recovery, we took a number of actions during the year to manage our staffing model, secretarial ratios and discretionary expenses. The end result was that while we were largely successful in realigning resources to meet client needs and market demand, there remains some overcapacity within the firm.

After careful deliberation, we have made the difficult decision to reduce our associate ranks by 21 people and our professional staff ranks by 34 people.

The associates affected are current second years within the Business Law Department and most are based in our Boston office. As many of you are aware, this group of associates was not included in our February reduction in force because they were first years at the time and we were hopeful that the economy would improve sufficiently so that we would not have to make this difficult decision.

However, in order to continue to provide quality work assignments and professional opportunities for all our attorneys in the long term, we have determined that reducing the size of our current second year class is necessary now. We have significantly reduced the sizes of our incoming classes going forward and believe that we are now aligned with existing and projected market demand. That does not make this decision any easier or less painful.

Those affected within our professional staff group include secretaries and administrative staff members, again with the largest group being based in our Boston office. Roughly three-quarters of those affected were members of the Boston-based secretarial staff. Administrative staff included reductions in a number of functions including marketing, recruiting, and operations/administration, among others.

We are committed to providing comprehensive severance packages, transition support and career counseling services to the individuals who are affected. In addition, we are pursuing all available channels to assist our attorneys and staff in finding new jobs.

This has been one of the most difficult decisions in a year of difficult decisions. I am hopeful that this is one of the last steps in a process that will ensure that Goodwin Procter remains healthy, vibrant and competitive for many years to come. I am genuinely grateful for the hard work and contributions that all our attorneys and staff have made to our clients and to the firm.

Meetings will be held tomorrow to answer any questions you may have - information on the times and locations will follow shortly. In the meantime, do not hesitate to contact me, your department chairs or office leaders with any questions, comments or concerns.

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Posted in: Goodwin Procter, Layoffs, Staff Layoffs

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