Earlier today, we reported on a mystery meeting taking place at K&L Gates next week. Apparently K&L is not alone. Seyfarth Shaw is also calling all of its associates together just before the holidays. Yuletide cheer is sure to follow:
Please join Steve Poor for a national videoconference with all Seyfarth associates on Monday, December 14 at 1p Pacific/3p Central/4p Eastern. Following the videoconference, your Office Managing Partner will facilitate a local discussion to address issues and questions you may have. Please make plans to attend; the total time commitment will be no more than an hour.
Seyfarth gave its associates a little more information about what will go down at the meeting. Details after the jump.
Here’s how the Seyfarth’s executive committee is explaining the meeting:
Through our individual experiences or from what we read, we all recognize that the profession of law is changing — and will continue to change — in profound and fundamental ways. The pace of change has been accelerated and compressed by economic conditions; the prospects ahead are both challenging and promising. As we approach the year’s end, we wanted to provide you with an update on our Firm’s business performance, share some insight on how our profession is moving ahead, and give you an overview of some plans for 2010.
Should Seyfarth associates be worried? Well, it kind of depends on whether or not you believe William Lancaster. You’ll remember that Lancaster, a nonequity partner at Seyfarth Shaw, is suing his own firm. We summarized Lancaster’s issues with Seyfath’s managing partner Steve Poor as follows:
Poor figures prominently in Lancaster’s complaint (PDF). Notwithstanding his name, in the complaint Poor comes across as obsessed with becoming rich (along with the other executive committee members).
So, if you believe Lancaster, you probably should be worried about the upcoming meeting.
But, from another perspective, what is really left for Seyfarth associates to be scared of? The firm has already gone through multiple rounds of layoffs. It has canceled its summer program. It has cut salaries, and deferred incoming associates, and deferred incoming associates again.
What’s left for them to do? Lay off more associates? Cut pay again? Cut pay, but disguise it as a “merit-based system,” as if their associates are too addled to do basic math when it comes to their own paychecks? I just can’t believe that there are Seyfarth associates who still have the capacity to be surprised by the firm.
So why worry? Enjoy your weekend. Spice your eggnog with some high-end rum. Spin a dreidel. It’ll all come out in the wash on Monday, and unless you have a lateral option you’ve just been sitting on (right next to your flying pig), there isn’t a whole lot that can be done about it.
Earlier: Lawsuit of the Day: Lancaster v. Seyfarth Shaw
Seyfarth Shaw Cancels 2010 Summer Program
Seyfarth Shaw: Salary Cuts and Deferral Extensions, Oh My
Nationwide Layoff Watch: Seyfarth Shaw Cuts 50, Cuts Salaries, Cuts Back on Summer Program
Still no coverage of PHJW…
What’s going on at Paul Hastings?
2 – nothing. It was slow earlier, but things have really picked up around here.
Glen Humplik…. Glen Humplik.
What’s this mystery meeting bullshit? At my firm, the partners have meetings sometimes, and they don’t tel the associates what they’re doing or why they’re doing it. That’s because they own the firm, and the associates are their employees. What above the law calls a mystery meeting, I call a meeting.
Our firm partners have meetings all the time. I don’t know what’s going on in said meetings so I guess it is a mystery meeting, to me. I presume for the partners it’s just a meeting. My office is very close to the conference room and a few weeks ago I heard one of the named partners yell, “these fucking meetings suck.” So I guess there’s not much going on that I need to worry about, sounds like they’re meetings are like my meetings, for the most part, a waste of time.
Lacking for billable work and sick of trolling ATL, I closed my door, propped my feet on the desk and caught some shut eye.
I dreamed of a magical land of antique tea roses, bureaus full of jewlery, beautiful children and husbands who love and support their wives and their passions for writing.
Thanks for the memories Susanna.
#6 – “their”
8 thanks for the correction. Fortunately no one knows who I am otherwise I’d have to burn through some major brain cells thinking of a way to insult you, in an effort to deflect attention from my error.
I hear Pillsbury is convening a “meeting” next week.
So glad I didn’t end up at this TTT firm. When I interviewed with them a couple of years ago the attorneys already seemed miserable.
Locke Lord got an email a few hours ago about some all associates meeting w/ the managing partner on Monday too. Huh.
I hope these meetings do not include another wave of lay offs.
“Tis the season for mystery meetings.” Indeed. Oohh, la la!
–Tiger Woods.
Gentlemen at the legal preparatory academy with which I was once affiliated frequently attended convocations of persons engaged in the practice of law as members or employees of certain limited liability partnerships, where the purposes of such meetings could not be ascertained in advance of their occurrence, due to the obfuscations of those responsible for holding the aforementioned convocations. These meetings were fleeting, and did not result in the creation of value or the addition to the human repository of knowledge, and therefore were not consequential.
What was the exotic 30J location all about at STB? Some conference room?
These meetings are a way of putting associates on notice that changes will be coming during the first quarter of next year. Fewer associates, lower pay, longer hours are what’s in store for you poor suckers. If you’re in law school, you might as well stick your head up your own ass, because that’s the closest you’ll ever get to smelling the roses.
-5 is just an angry partner that can stand the fact Above the Law blows up BigLaw’s spot time and again.
If you really didn’t agree with the way they post tite their headings then don’t read it let alone post about it. But you, like me and everyone else, read this EVERYDAY.
As part of the enhancement of the Employee Assistance Program, Seyfarth will be a trend setter and roll out a concept being used by the airline industry – ‘napping rooms.’ However, there will be no charge to associates, who will be able to nap there essentially any time during their off hours as they strive to meet their annual hours requirements (which we be increased to 2800 hours). This will also relieve financial pressure on associates, particularly those in high cost areas, as they will no longer be required to rent apartments or own their own homes.
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2009-12-10-travelminirooms10_ST_N.htm?csp=Travelthe
signed,
Management
I used to go to partnership meetings. The issue was always money. Resolutions would be presented to deal with the issue. They always passed. Everyone would then go back to their offices and figure out how to evade the resolution and the crisis continued. Business as usual. Then I bailed.
They are still at it. Still in crisis.
Can some please tell me what time the meeting will be in the Mountain Time Zone? The letter was very vague. Thanks.
Jesus H. Santa Claus, Lat and Elie, get on the horn and call Paul Hastings. PH to… re-deferral? Merry Freakin’ X-Mas: http://www.paulhastings.com/HolidayMessage. Thanks to our friends* and clients. *Friends shall not be defined to include deferred associates.
McFirsty!
9 FTW
agreed, 9 FTW.
8 – man you must have a lot of time.
- not 6, 9, or 24.
22 – Agreed, WTF is that all about? Diane Downs can’t meet her own timeline of communication, but she can make time to send us all a holiday greeting. How about checking in with us to suggest we start booking our flights, or booking the movers, or anything!
2/3: Paul Hastings-NY just had their holiday party. Although it was a modest in-house event, the numbers are so dismal this year that staff was dis-invited for the first time. Barry gave us this bullshit speech that since we have “cut into the muscle” we are now “outpacing our competition.” What alot of horseshit. Greg and Seth should cut out this toxic little snake like a cancer.
3: Really? What office are you in? Here in NY, you could fire a cannon ball down nearly any hall after 6pm and not hit anyone.
Anyone have any news on Latham, Gibson, Irell or Munger?
27 & 28 really? F*ck me. What are the prospects of us class of 2009 folks starting?
30 – hopefully you’re not referring to starting at Seyfarth, and if so, that you’re referring to starting in their financial transaction departments, because if you are, I strongly suggest you look elsewhere. This firm is slow, cutting pay left and right, hawking hours, and simply looking for whatever reason exists to make you miserable. The morale is terrible and these matters have been a topic of discussion for many many months.
On the other hand, if you are going into L&E, you’re golden. That just so happens to be the only department that the firm values.
30, even if you do start, try to find the cheapest housing possible, bring less than you would to a dorm room, and save every penny. The biglaw show is closing soon.
30: The word at PH-NY is that first years will indeed be starting in January. Which means the rest of us will need to make room. If Barry calls, do not answer.
33 Barry has enough to worry about. I hear Seth fucked him in the ass good over Barrygate.
Paul Hastings is royally screwed. Finances down across the board. Senior associates being phased out left and right.
19, did you stop to consider whether anything you wrote was funny before you clicked that “post comment” button down there?
It’ll just be typical Firm doublespeak. Assuaging your concerns out of one side of their mouth while telling HR to set up your “meetings” out of the other.
Holidays be damned. Tis the season to clean up year-end balance sheets.
33/34 -
PH WDC here — what is Barrygate? Our DC office is quite busy — every associate that I know, junior mid or senior is on track to make hours — but I have no concept of what is happening in other offices. Any info on the other office and health of the firm in general in advance of the Feb/March meetings would be appreciated.
*offices
Sounds like #37 has been to a Seyfarth meeting. The other thing they’ll do is provide the associates with lots of information (and tell the associates how grateful they should be to have this information), but they’ll never provide the critical pieces of information that the associates would really like to have . . .
Broskis:
I just bought extra small wifebeaters on my way home from the gym. I’ll give you one if you get me a protein shake.
- Ronnie
I’m having a secret meeting at my trailer tonight with a small, select group of misfit teenagers. It will be epic.
-Chappy
Wow, I hope they don’t DLA their associates.
DLA won’t have any associates left by mid year 2010. Associate morale is completely down the toilet.
All those at PH-NY which departments are busy, which are slow?
Oh, sure they will 44, there are lots of associates with nowhere else to go, and they need to keep a few around to do what little overflow work the partners can’t handle or is too unpleasant for them to want.
Quarles & Brady is having a similar meeting on the 18th. The topic is announced, however, so not much of a secret .
LABOR DISPUTE
SHAME ON SEYFARTH / SHAW
LABOR DISPUTE
46 – right, though it will mainly be the 1-2 ranked associates that won’t have anywhere else to go.
38: PH NY associate here. Here’s the scoop. The little scumbag had a fling with a former associate. When she started acting like Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction, he dumped her ass (did I mention that he had just gotten married?). She then had a breakdown and needed to be hospitalized for a fortnight. She was subsequently terminated for “performance reasons” even though she had received excellent reviews in prior years.
45: Corporate (transactional) and real estate here are dead, dead, dead. The only busy areas are bankruptcy (but you have to work for that hedgehog Luc – what a prick!) and pharma litigation. My source in LA HR tells me that they are busy preparing transition agreements.
Do those rapists still work there?
Yes, the molesters are still here.
9 FTW
50 – Is that source Nancy Marine?
50 When I summered there, the horny little shitbag propositioned me at a summer associate event. I’m not surprised he’s involved in this “Barrygate” business.
34: That’s incorrect. Seth fucked him in his bullshitting mouth.
38: PH LA associate here. The rumor in this office is that the firm is in “discussions” with several possible merger partners. Basically, all areas are dead here. If DC is busy, that is great. But DC will not carry the other offices.
K&L has an “Associates’ Town Hall” EVERY December. That’s what’s coming up. No layoffs. Relax.
50 / 57 – Thanks for the info…DC feels very isolated from firm management in part I think because our practice groups are largely small and gov/regulatory-related. The corporate group operates like a series of small specialty firms each with their own niche (which I actually really like). However, because of that we don’t get much of the gossip from elsewhere.
That Barrygate scandal is kind of hilarious (in that sad way)…I can’t believe it didn’t make its rounds to WDC.
And 50, I’ve worked on tangentially on bankruptcy matters with Luc in the past and couldn’t agree more — what a prick. I dislike him and all his little minions. Hope things pick up in your neck of the woods and that we all get through this thing with our jobs in tact.
Most firms have at least one “meeting” per year with associates.
If firms sent out a full itinerary of every meeting before conducting that meeting, there would be no point in having the meeting.
Let’s cut the drama a bit, ATL.
My 600+ attorney, gp, Chicago-based firm with offices in NYC, DC and LA are supposedly in merger discussions or so the rumors suggest. I heard variously that may merge with a NW based firm, California based firm, or a SE based firm. Someone else hinted that there may be a hook up with smaller 200+ attorney, national-based firm. Yet, the opposite has been suggested, hooking up with a larger 800+ attorney, national firm.
I am a third year so this is all confusing. What’s the criteria for a merger? What makes economic sense?
PH-NY associate here. Litigation is going gang-busters as is Employment. Don’t believe the naysayers here.
62 – 50 does seem to be indicating that PH NY litigation is busy. I’m a PH NY corporate associate and I can tell you that we are all fighting each other for hours. The only corp attys who are getting any are those who are willing to work for the nasty pendecho Luc. Meanwhile, Barry is putting the fear of God into all of us, truly lording it over. I curse this motherfucking beancounter. Hope he gets devoured by “Barrygate.”
p.s. You can believe the naysayers on this board. I’ve seen the numbers and they are dismal.
59 – We thought Barrygate was pretty hilarious in NY. Firm-wide HR and MJ did their best to cover it up. But, according to one of his (talkative) partners, the Napoleonic prick has a history of this sort of thing. I’m glad someone was willing to blow the lid off the sordid mess.
54: I can’t say, but her initials are “NM.”
62 I hope you don’t have to work for Zach in ELD. Zach makes Luc look all warm and fuzzy by comparison.
51- rapist is gone- he formed his own firm about 2 years ago but i think he has been disbarred.
no word on the amount of molesters there- i’ll check with my priest and get back to you
regardless, credit the seyfarth recruiting coordinator for the firm’s high standards- when it comes to rape and molestation, they are an industry leader
50 – According to the drunken confessions of this associate, his “cock is in inverse proportion to his ego.” I wonder how her screenplay is coming?
35: Stealth lay-offs have been ongoing at PH-NY. They would make a fortune if only they could sublet all the empty offices (and space on 17).
38 – Atlanta PH associate here. Since the two immigration partners left, this place has fallen off a cliff. We all have this sick feeling that we are about to be swept into Greg and Seth’s dustbin of history, much like the PH Stamford office.
64- He did the same sort of thing when he was in LA. The young female associates could not wait for him to leave for NY.
66
I had heard from a source in DC that Zach was run out of the DC office “on a rail” by John G. When he was back in town last yr on his big news case (which he lost – trounced really), nobody in the DC office would go near him. Good riddance.
50/59: I hear they’re paying this jackass Luc like 5 million per year. Only problem is, he hasn’t brought in ANY new clients. We will all pay for this debacle with our jobs.
68: Screenplay?
Over half our attys and staff in PH Shanghai have been let go. Where will this end?
I wish I could swing my putter like Barry.
- Tiger Woods
This guy Barry sounds like a real piece of work. For a guy with a tiny little cock, he sure fucks a lot of women!
Damn, if this isn’t the work of a single disgruntled associate I don’t know what is.
Whoever it is, he/she really hates Barry.
78: There are more of us out there than you think. We have PLENTY to be disgruntled about.
76 – But why does Barry (with his tiny little cock) get to fuck so many women and get away with it? Meanwhile, despite my BBC, I’m paying the piper and losing endorsements?
-Tiger Woods
Barry, let me help you with some vitamin e.
80 – that’s what you said last time.
Single disgruntled PH associate or not, this PH gossip is priceless!
83 – OK Seth. I confess.
this barry homey sounds like one horny motha-fucka!
When Barry was visiting the PH office in Oklahoma City (“PH-OKC”) he had intercourse with 2 associates, a secretay and the PH-OKC human resources admin. I can’t tell you her name, but her initials were MN. Barry was only in town for three weeks and all this happened. The partners in PH-OKC couldn’t wait for him to leave!!!!
87 – FTW!
87 – I heard Barry is starting fight clubs all over the country. He goes by Tyler Durden… or was it Robert Paulson?
87: And then Barry visited the PH office in LA (“PH-LA”), took it in the ass from Greg for his horny misdeeds, then flew back to the PH office in NY (“PH-NY”) to ponder the error of his ways.
70 – I call BS. As an associate at PH’s Atlanta office, my workload is through the roof. I’ve averaged over 200 billable hours the past 2 months and December will be over 250. And I know for a fact that many other associates in the office are billing even more than me. Please stop spreading bullshit.
90
man!!! barry my homey!!! he one bad mo-fucka!!!
91- I call bullshit on your bullshit. It is well known here in LA that Greg, Seth and Adam no longer consider the Atlanta office to be integral to our “future success.”
I want to put an end to all the Barry bashing. He has not stealthed as many associates, bothered as many female summers, tortured as many partners and screwed as many pretty, young associates as may otherwise be indicated on these boards.
94 = Barry.
94 = Barry, as ghost written by his bullying hand-maiden, MJ.
If things at PH are so busy, then why won’t PH confirm the start date for deferred associates?
PH staffer here: MJ, it did not escape our notice that we were not invited to the holiday event. You are beyond despicable.
97- Cause they are too busy preparing transition agreements (thanks for the tip Nancy).
98: if they can’t even afford to invite staff to a pathetic in-house holiday party, what does that say about ph/ny’s numbers this year???
97: Based on leaked details of a recent partner meeting, all the signs point to another deferral of those already deferred.
Listen 98. You and the rest of us staffers here in NY are considered nothing more than the “dreaded overhead.” Just ask Mike J. The guy collected 3 mil over his goal for fye 09 and still got shitcanned by Barry and MJ. For Christ-sakes, this guy is single and supports 4 kids!
Listen, if you are getting deferred, interview and if you can find it, take a job that will give you some real experience.
98- I went to the “party.” Believe me, you didn’t miss anything.
102 – word is, mike did not kiss up to barry enough to satisfy the little fucker’s insatiable ego.
97 – I would also suggest that you take a job that allows some quality of life. No amount of $ is worth the misery and degradation we experience here at PHJW.
105 agreed, he did not have his tongue up barry’s ass (like mj and jen ass).
107 you left out rim. they are also tongueing his balls -getting tea-bagged.
96 she a nasty ole fucken beeyatch.
I heard that the Chicago-based firms are doing very badly? Is there any news whether they will close their NYC offices.
110 Winston’s NYC office is in big trouble. Wouldn’t be surprised to see this one go away.
ATL – perhaps a story on possible PH re-deferrals?
Jesus guys, just request a verification of employment document which you will need to get an apartment. That would be the easiest way of finding out whether you are starting.
Barry and I go way back.
–Tiger Woods
113 – no doubt that is a good method to determine whether you’re starting. But, the question is–have there been firms that sent out such a letter that re-deferred anyways?
This discussion thread is positively cromulent.
111, Can you provide some details?
101 – That is absolute bullshit. You don’t have a clue what you’re talking about.
101 – well those PH partners in that meeting better be ready to pony up payment for security deposits already paid and moving expenses as many of us have begun the process of moving across the country given that we start in just over 1 month.
The ship be sinking…
Katten has stealthed some associates in their NYC office in recent weeks…..including 2 in corporate.
119
Don’t hold your breathe
118 – How can you be so sure? In other words, we are a month away and PH still has not made an announcement. How much longer before we hear anything?
-Frantic Deferred
Fuck deferrals. We at PH NY (who must put up with the little prick, literally) want to hear more about Barrygate!
118/119: The info comes from a partner who attended the meeting. Sorry guys.
-101
102 he is a WIDOWER with four kids and got shitcanned by barry and mj. that is the inhumanity we deal with at phny.
101 – PH would be the only AmLaw 20 firm to re-defer all its incoming associates. I call Bullshit on your false rumor mongering.
Do tell, when does PHJW intend to tell the incoming associates? It’s getting awfully close to that magic “less than one month” point. Just what did your leaky-Partner tell you? That they would be waiting until the last & cruelest possible second to re-defer the incoming associates?
You’re making this shit up to freak out the new kids.
Anyone can report on yesterday’s meeting at Seyfarth?
I have to assume that Steve Poor and all the office managing partners simply wanted to say “Happy Holidays” to the assoicates.
From what I’ve heard (and it’s just ridiculous that Lat hasn’t posted this yet):
Associates rated “exceptional” will get a 5% increase in pay. You can imagine how many associates will qualify.
Associates rated “exceeds expectations” will stay put.
Associates rated “meets expectations” will get cut 5%, but if they billed fewer than 1950 hours they’ll be cut 10%, and if they billed fewer than 1650 it’s a 20% cut.
58 – wrong…they are announcing that they are moving off lockstep (read, they are justifying why they will be paying most associates less next year). Now you can relax.