Kaye Scholer

Nationwide Pay Cut Watch: Kaye Scholer Lowballs Low Billers

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Salary Cuts.jpgKaye Scholer — which conducted stealth layoffs in November and open layoffs in February — is now cutting back on associate pay. The move will only affect associates that are on track to bill below 1600 hours this year, but affect them it will. The WSJ Law Blog reports:

Here’s the way it’ll work: All those first and second year associates who, as of June 1, were on pace to bill fewer than 1600 hours for the year will have 20% of what they stand to make over the last half of the year withheld. (In other words, the firm will hang on to 10% of the year’s salary.) For third year associates who fall beneath the threshold, the firm will withhold 15% of the July-December pay (or 7.5% of the full-year salary).
If, at the end of the year, the associates have hit 1600 hours, they’ll have their full pay restored.

Resting at #70 in the Vault rankings, Kaye Scholer seems to just be continuing the trend of firms in this range trying what they can to save money.
At least the attorneys will have the opportunity to make the money back if they can pick up their hours. It’s more like being sent to your room without dinner, instead of being left by the side of the road.
Kaye Scholer to Withhold Pay From Lower-Billing Associates [WSJ Law Blog]
Earlier: Nationwide Layoff Watch: Kaye Scholer
In This Market: Are You Getting Laid Off or Fired? A Kaye Scholer Case Study

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Mommy of the Day Madlyn Primoff Gets Conditional Discharge

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Madlyn Primoff Kaye Scholer mugshot.jpgWe — and everybody else — reported on the Kaye Scholer partner who kicked her children out of her car and was charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Today, Madlyn Primoff received a conditional discharge:

That means that the misdemeanor charge of endangering the welfare of a child against Park Avenue lawyer Madlyn Primoff will be dismissed in six months as long as she does not get arrested or violate the order of protection issued for her two girls.
“There is no ongoing danger to the children,” Westchester County Assistant District Attorney Audrey Stone told City Judge Eric Press during a brief appearance at 9:30 a.m.

Outside of the courthouse, Primoff apologized:

“Clearly I made a mistake,” Primoff said. “But I truly love our children and I know I am a good parent.”

As one commenter already anticipated, that apology is as close as we are likely to get to a real life “I’VE ABANDONED MY CHILD” moment.
Do you think that the (lack of) punishment fits the crime? Some additional details after the jump.

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Mommy Lawyer of the Day: Kaye Scholer Partner Leaves Bickering Kids

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Madlyn Primoff Kaye Scholer mugshot.jpgMadlyn Primoff, a partner in the bankruptcy and business reorganization group at Kaye Scholer, left her two daughters by the side of the road in White Plains. According to the New York Daily News:

A prominent Park Avenue lawyer was arrested after cops said she got so angry at her young daughters that she kicked them out of her car – and drove off.

Madlyn Primoff apparently couldn’t bear any more squabbling between her 10- and 12-year-old daughters Sunday and booted them out of the car in White Plains, Westchester County, authorities said.

A threat doesn’t carry much weight if you’re not willing to back it up, right? A tipster quips:

So maybe I won’t apply to Kaye Scholer … if their partners are this crazy.

But the 12-year-old demonstrated the dedication required of a future Kaye Scholer associate. She ran after her mother’s car, caught up to it, and got back in. You can’t stealth layoff that kid!

Unfortunately, the 10-year-old went to pieces:

The younger daughter wandered around the corner to Mamaroneck Ave., where a good Samaritan spotted her in tears about 7:30 p.m., bought her ice cream and then approached a cop in a patrol car.

The officer described the girl as “very upset” and “emotional” in the police report.

More discussion — including information about Madlyn Primoff’s $2 million home in Scarsdale, and a reader poll — after the jump.

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Nationwide Layoff Watch: Kaye Scholer

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Kaye Scholer LLP logo Above the Law legal blog.jpgHappy Monday. To kick off the new week, we have more law firm layoff news.

The latest dispatch comes from Kaye Scholer. The firm conducted layoffs in the Corporate and Finance department on Friday. The number of affected attorneys is not known, but is believed to be at least five, including some first- and second-year associates.

In November 2008, the firm claimed that it was dismissing some lawyers for performance-based reasons. Back then, managing partner Barry Willner stated: “While we are obviously mindful of the difficult economic situation affecting all of us, we have no current plans to engage in layoffs or other terminations outside of the normal course of our business.”

Alas, three months later, the economy looks worse than ever. So bad, in fact, that Kaye Scholer finds itself chasing after gangsters for legal fees.

More details about last week’s layoffs, after the jump.

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Legal Eagle Wedding Watch 11.30: Softball Diamond

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champagne glasses small.jpg

After another craptasticical week for lawyerdom, here’s your weekly dose of wedding cheer. Unfortunately, like many of the firms we cover on ATL, LEWW has been forced to make some difficult decisions. We had to show one set of newlyweds the door–entirely for performance-related reasons, of course, because LEWW doesn’t do layoffs.

Here are the two lucky-to-survive entries:

1. Lauren Attard and Jordan Schwartz

2. Anna Joo and Adam Fee

Read more about these couples, after the jump.

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Kaye Scholer Cheaps … IP Attorneys?

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Kaye Scholer LLP logo Above the Law legal blog.jpgLast month, we reported that K&L Gates would stop paying bar association fees for their attorneys.

Now, we’ve learned that Kaye Scholer has decided to stop paying membership fees for the New York Intellectual Property Law Association:

As announced in October, each individual attorney now is responsible for maintaining his or her membership in NYIPLA. Both new membership and renewals for 2009 should be paid in full and received by NYIPLA no later than December 31, 2008.

I thought IP attorneys were a golden goose in this rapidly declining legal market? Why would you piss them off?

The annual membership dues are $200 for lawyers with more than five years experience, $130 for attorneys with less than five years under their belt.

Based on figures we’ve received, Kaye Scholer stands to save (wait for it …) $9,920.

Keeping your associates enrolled in an organization that helps them enhance their skills < $9K?

Really?

Well, at least the holiday party is still on.

Earlier: K&L Gates to Nickels and Dimes

Kaye Scholer to More Cowbell

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In This Market: Are You Getting Laid Off or Fired?
A Kaye Scholer Case Study

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Kaye Scholer LLP logo Above the Law legal blog.jpgWe’ve received a ton of comments and many tips that “stealth” layoffs are happening at Kaye Scholer. One commenter claimed:

[S]ince last summer, by my count at least 8 associates left voluntarily, as did 5 paralegals. An additional 8 associates were laid off and 4 paralegals were laid off with them. It seems to me that the fact that none of these paralegals were replaced, coupled with the fact that the only new blood brought into the department were the new 1st years in 2007 and again in 2008 shows that perhaps its the partners that are “dead wood” and not the people that worked for them.

Another commenter offered these numbers:

I was in the RE practice group. The breakdown of who was let go is as follows (and this does not include those that left voluntarily because they anticipated the coming of Armageddon). Class of:

2006 – (2)

2005 – (2)

2004 – (1)

2001 – (1)

1998 – (1)

Counsel – (1)

and at least 5 paralegals were let go.

I anticipate that the class of 2007 is next to be “reduced,” as there are now no remaining people out of the 5 associates from the class of 2006 and only 1 out of the 4 associates of the class of 2005.

A tipster put it all together like this:

This doesn’t even include those in corporate that were let go… The lit associates, some of whom billed close to 3000 hours last year, have absolutely no work, and are not going to even get close to the 2000 hours needed to make first tier bonus. Word going round is that there will be a mass round of layoffs for the lit people that didn’t get snipped after the first round in May.

What exactly is going on at Kaye Scholer? A response to the rumors by managing partner Barry Willner, after the jump.

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A Kaye Scholer Case Study”

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Kaye Scholer to More Cowbell

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Kaye Scholer LLP logo Above the Law legal blog.jpgWe’ve reported on firms that have canceled their holiday parties or significantly scaled them back. Some firms have decided to go ahead with their holiday festivities.

But we hadn’t really heard of a firm that was looking to expand holiday revelry, until Kaye Scholer popped into our inbox.

In the past, Kaye Scholer has held the holiday party at the Palace. As we understand it, this year they are having it at The Pierre and employees are allowed to bring a guest.

Go Kaye! Way to keep morale high.

Of course, not everybody is thrilled. A tipster asks:

So, what does this say about the firm’s bottom line or desire for prudence in a time of economic crisis? Only Barry Willner knows.

Thanks Chief Tipster Downer.

Screw prudence. The Pierre is sweet and we’re happy to report “not horrible” news.

Earlier: Holiday Cheer from Shearman & Sterling

Fried Frank Turns Holiday Party into a Robin Hood Affair

Some Joy in Whoville!

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The Worst Law Firm Websites

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Van%20Winkle%20Law%20Firm%20Lawyer%20Ken.jpgWachtell may be the most prestigious firm out there (according to Vault), but it has the industry’s worst Web site, as rated by Jonathan Thrope of the American Lawyer. We’re not completely sure we trust his judgment though, since he was “sucked in” by Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice’s animated dog. We waited for it to do something cool, but it just stretched and yawned.
According to Thrope, law firms are getting more serious about online marketing and using Web sites to create a distinctive brand. In general, law firm sites strike us as fairly dry. And boring. There are a few exceptions, like the Van Winkle Law Firm’s split personality bio page. North Carolina-based Van Winkle adds a personal touch to its site with dual bios (and photos) for many of its attorneys: one with professional highlights, and another focused on hobbies and life outside of work.
Other firms experiment with offbeat advertising, but seem to be using it to recruit attorneys, not clients. Like Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle’s creation of a Facebook page, and Stoel Rives’ free-style running promo on YouTube.
Of the assortment of staid sites in the AmLaw 100, five made Thrope’s cut for the worst. Check them out after the jump.

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Fall Recruiting Open Thread: Vault 61-70 (2009)

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comparing.jpgJudging from our traffic, readers are enjoying this rundown of the Vault 100. We do aim to please here at ATL. We appreciate those who have offered insights about firms in the comments.
Moving on to the next group (with prestige scores in parentheses):

61. Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP (5.608)
62. Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP (5.583)
63. Bingham McCutchen LLP (5.583)
64. Greenberg Traurig, LLP (5.478)
65. Holland & Knight LLP (5.416)
66. Heller Ehrman LLP (5.346)
67. Foley & Lardner LLP (5.266)
68. Steptoe & Johnson LLP (5.252)
69. K&L Gates LLP (5.242)
70. Kaye Scholer LLP (5.230)

As we move down the Vault list, “notable perks” are becoming less elaborate. This group is dominated by tales of free food, from endless soda at Greenberg Traurig to weekend doughnuts and muffins at Foley. And it appears that Pillsbury lacks a monopoly on cookie benefits; over at Cahill, lawyers are plied with “twice daily cookie trays.”
We note this food-related perk at Bingham: “If any lawyer takes out a more junior lawyer for drinks/dinner, he/she can submit the expense to the mentoring budget AND the senior person can get creditable hours.” Can you expense the roofies?
We invite you to compare and contrast these firms’ work, lifestyle, benefits… and cookies, in the comments.
Earlier: Vault 100 Open Threads – 2009

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