The pace of law firm layoffs has apparently slowed to a crawl. We’ll go weeks between job losses at large law firms (that we know of). But, here and there, some people are still getting pushed out as firms retool for the new economy.
Sadly, legal secretaries at Dewey & LeBoeuf became the latest casualties of a layoff cycle that seems very close to its end. The firm-wide memo went out earlier today:
Beginning last week and concluding today the firm implemented a reduction in force impacting approximately 30 administrative staff positions in its Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C., offices.
Nobody wants to be the last person KIA in a war, and nobody wants to be laid off at the tail end of a recession. Why did Dewey make the move this late (hopefully) in the recession?
The Dewey memo goes on to say:
Last year, in response to the unprecedented challenges that the global economy created for law firms, we took steps to manage our administrative staffing model. We have been largely successful in realigning our resources while at the same time maintaining adequate administrative support. Nevertheless, despite positive economic signs we are now seeing, we have come to the difficult decision that certain follow-on changes are necessary, primarily to ensure that secretarial ratios appropriately reflect current business needs. These changes are made necessary by an overall reduction in lawyer headcount.
These decisions are not taken lightly and come only after very careful consideration. The firm values the contributions of all these individuals and will provide those impacted with a comprehensive separation package. I ask that everyone show their support for their colleagues during this challenging time.
Steve
————————————————————
Stephen DiCarmine, Esq.
Executive Director
Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP
No lawyers were laid off during this round of cuts. And a spokesperson for Dewey noted that this move was intended solely to bring staffing levels into balance with the number of attorneys that the firm has on board.
But some of our tipsters worry that these layoffs are just another negative externality of the merger between Dewey Ballantine and LeBoeuf Lamb:
We former Dewey people are dropping like flies…. I hope [former Dewey Ballantine co-chair] Mort Pierce is happy with the merger, which was more like a takeover!
Of course, that merger happened over two years ago. Surely the firm isn’t still dealing with legacy issues. Right?
Earlier: Associate Bonus Watch: Dewey & LeBoeuf Helps Me Keep My Clothes On
I am sure these 30 terminated staff employees have an opinion of Commissar Obama’s economic stimulus plan. Perhaps they draw comfort in knowing that for these 30 jobs lost, one was saved or created.
1=virgin dork.
I’m available to assist this reduction in head count.
Elie: At least you caught the mistake and fixed it on your own.
-2
“…nobody wants to be laid off at the tail end of a recession.”
Yeah sure – we’re at the tail end of the recession. Get ready for dip no. 2 you geniuses. The jobs based on the CDO & MBS markets aren’t coming back. Those jobs are gone forever, and the worthless lawyers that helped Wall Street rip off the rest of this country in the world’s largest Ponzi scheme aren’t going back to work any time soon.
You’re welcome!
I’ve got your “comprehensive separation package”
right here.
My building just fired 2.5 janitors.
Mission Accomplished!
Most Still Blame Bush for the Economy
A New York Times/CBS News poll finds that 31% of Americans said the Bush administration is at fault for the current state of the economy while only 7% blame the Obama administration.
An additional 23% said Wall Street is to blame while 13% blame Congress.
Read more: http://politicalwire.com/archives/2010/02/12/most_still_blame_bush_for_the_economy.html#ixzz0hiVv0Lzz
This makes me wonder if large law firms have figured out that firing secretaries leaves more billable hour work for associates to do – work that a third grader could do.
It is definitely more profitable to have a first year associate put together a powerpoint on the clients dime than a secretary.
Dewey is a poorly managed cesspool. Noone can argue otherwise and be even half serious.
@12 -
I would say “You’re welcome,” but there is really no need to thank me. I gave the American people the leadership they deserved.
The ship be sinking…
“Why did Dewey make the move this late (hopefully) in the recession?”
The book’s not closed on the Great Recession: we’re in a pause between chapters.
“Sadly, legal secretaries at Dewey & LeBoeuf became the latest casualties of a layoff cycle that seems very close to its end.”
This is only a twelve- to eighteen-month lull. The second half of this recession will be worse than the first half. Save your cash, kids. You’ll need it.
Legal secretaries? Who needs them, you should see the worthless bunch at my firm. They think they run the place. If you’re not a partner they are not willing to help you out at all… even if you are a partner they pick and choose who they’ll help. A bunch of illiterate, lunatic women.
No word yet on what they plan on doing with all the people on Pursuits. These people are supposed to start back in June, but from what I hear nobody has been contacted. Walking the hallways at Dewey these days is downright depressing.
I heard that there are going to be lawyers booted . . . including partners(!).
You guys are pretty lazy…there was a associate layoffs on Friday last week by a top 50 firm…maybe if you were proactive instead of reactive you would find it out.
But I’ll give you a hint…its headquartered out of a city between New York and DC…
That should help you out.
Legal secretaries are an anachronism, like law firm libraries with books on the shelves. Any firm could dismiss all of them tomorrow, and no one (but the secretaries themselves) would notice the difference. The only lawyers that ‘depend’ on their secretaries these days, are old enough to retire (and really should)
@21: I hope 19 and 23 are the first two to go!
Hey everybody complaining about Elie’s grammar – you are complete and utter losers. Find something better to contribute to the thread. Idiots.
Ellie: you are as useless as tits on a bull andvyou suck at poker.
no real surprise. it was a pointless merger that closed at the worst possible time . . . just as the economy tanked.
21 — I’ve heard the same rumors. I gather it isn’t good to be a good year if you are a partner there and your business has gone missing in action.
The only way legal secretaries can save their jobs is to take on paralegal work and bill for it. (I mean if they aren’t supporting one of these old guys screaming out their door, “Ruth, what happened to my toolbar!?”)
Watch out for the associate lay-offs very soon. The next two days will be nerve-wracking.
19 and 23: can’t get a secretary to help them, can’t get a date, what’s a 2nd/3rd yr. loser to do?
MWE
Orrick dodged the Dewey bullet.
“We former Dewey people are dropping like flies…. I hope [former Dewey Ballantine co-chair] Mort Pierce is happy with the merger, which was more like a takeover!”
Obviously Mort is happy. I ‘m sure he is well taken care of in this merger. It’s everyone else from Dewey that’s screwed.
I hear some partners are being fired too.
I’m a former Dewey Secretary and i’m pretty happy they let me go! It’s been a year and the year off has been lovely. So happy I don’t have to go into a work place stressing everyday over if they are going to let me go. Plus when they merged with LeBoeuf the place became real stale! It truly sucked!!! Dewey Ballantine was the place to work. It was so carefree. Now it’s like a detention center!
I’m a former Dewey Secretary and i’m pretty happy they let me go! It’s been a year and the year off has been lovely. So happy I don’t have to go into a work place stressing everyday over if they are going to let me go. Plus when they merged with LeBoeuf the place became real stale! It truly sucked!!! Dewey Ballantine was the place to work. It was so carefree. Now it’s like a detention center!
The dewey folks are funny. Part of the merger terms was that LLGM would pay for Dewey’s unfunded partner pension plan. This unfunded pension plan was 8 figures. Without LLGM’s great investment, Dewey would have easily folded last year. Mort is a genius – he pulled off the best M&A deal in the history of Dewey.
33 – ORRICK DID NOT DODGE ANY BULLET. They just shot the gun earlier in the year. They did their share of staff lay offs. I am still reeling from the fact that I was “fired” after dedicating 25 years in helping to build that firm what it is today.