De-equitized partners

Big shake-ups at the Magic Circle firm.

Time to trim the partnership fat.

This is a pretty bold move.

Which firm is considering shearing the ranks of its equity partners?

What happens to Bingham if the Morgan Lewis deal doesn't go through?

There's good news for some Bingham partners, and bad news for others.

Uh oh. The situation at Patton Boggs is like a train wreck that you just can't stop watching.

How is Patton Boggs trying to save itself, and will its plan work?

What happens when partners are pushed out of the law firms they once loved? You won't believe how messy these bad romances can get...

They're not giving you that money for free; here's why you should flee.

Anonymous Partner makes the case in favor of welcoming more partners this year.

It's hard out here for a partner. A fascinating New Republic article goes behind the scenes at one major law firm.

Mark Herrmann discusses Steven Harper's new book, The Lawyer Bubble, and uses it as a jumping-off point for a discussion of partner dissatisfaction.

How should Biglaw deal publicly with partner layoffs and de-equitizations? Anonymous Partner shares his opinions.

Associates and staff have borne the brunt of law firm layoffs over the past few years. But, according to some recent surveys, partners are far from immune....

On the whole, pretty good. But there are some warning signs too.

* Enjoy your Biglaw bonuses now, because according to managing partners, layoffs and de-equitizations may soon be making their return. Oh, only in Pennsylvania? Woohoo, break out the bubbly! Just kidding, that really sucks if it’s true. [Legal Intelligencer]

* The Environmental Protection Agency has temporarily banned BP from entering into future U.S. government contracts because of the company’s “lack of business integrity,” aka the Deepwater Horizon explosion. Ouch, super sick burn, EPA! [National Law Journal]

* Considering going to law school? Then you should also take into consideration the fact that you’ll have to become a lawyer if you want to stand a remote chance of ever being able to pay off your loans. [Fox Business]

* Paul Ceglia pleaded not guilty to fraud charges yesterday in federal court. If only he actually owned half of Facebook as he claims, he probably wouldn’t have a court-appointed attorney representing him. [Bloomberg]

* “No matter how many high-priced lawyers and publicists she employs, she has been exposed for what she is.” Jill Kelley’s lawyer is on the offensive, and his targets are none too pleased about it. [Associated Press]

* Avvo has decided to sell its health business to focus entirely on providing services to lawyers and legal customers. Now the company will be able to do the law justice. (SWIDT?) [Puget Sound Business Journal]

Are law firms using the wrong criteria when it comes to hiring associates?

What's it like for partners to practice law in the era of mandatory retirement?

* Dewey get to see a member of this firm’s chairman’s office strut for a perp walk in the near future? After all, partners reportedly say that it’s thanks to him that D&L may close up shop “as early as next week.” [Law360 (sub. req.)]

* De-equitize this: Oh, how Biglaw firms in America wish that they could return to merry old England, where mandatory retirement policies for old fart partners are the norm, and the courts agree. [Legal Week]

* “We’re about to beat a dead horse here.” Even the judge presiding over the John Edwards trial got pissed when the defense repeatedly asked variations of the same question on cross-examination. [MSNBC]

* Ain’t no shame in his game (well, actually, there is). Judge Wade McCree’s lawyer says he’s sure the judge is sorry for his sext messaging. Yeah, sorry he got caught. [Detroit Free Press]

* Is this the first test of the “ministerial exception” in the Perich case? A teacher at a Catholic school was fired for getting in vitro fertilization treatments, and now she’s suing. [CNN]

* Insert your own UVA joke here, bro. Yeardley Love’s family has filed a $30M wrongful death suit against former college lacrosse player, George Huguely V. [Washington Examiner]