Legal Pad

A (Vague) Chat With John Quinn about Layoffs

Those who were hoping litigation would be the silver lining in this economy, think again.

Litigation powerhouse Quinn Emmanuel said Wednesday it has conducted layoffs for “lack of work,” but Legal Pad was unable to confirm how many staff and attorneys were let go in which of Quinn’s seven offices.

The legal blog Above the Law first reported the layoffs after tips from readers. Firm Chairman John Quinn’s response to the blog: “A handful of people have been let go for lack of work. 25 is wildly inaccurate.”

Statistics, wild inaccuracies and a letter from John Quinn, after the jump.

Dude, Where's My Job?

In the past three days, six more U.S. firms have either cancelled or shortened summer programs, rescinded offers to 3Ls, or deferred start dates for incoming first-years. The latest are Dechert, which shortened its summer, and Squire Sanders, which pushed start dates back to January. Our sister blog, The Shark, is tracking all the cuts it hears about in one handy (if increasingly long) chart. See the chart here along with interviews with struggling 3Ls here.

—  Cynthia Foster

Orrick's 2 Percent Layoff Distinction

We’re working on the Orrick layoffs, and what looks clear at first blush — 100 associates, 200 staffers pinkslipped — turns out to be a little murky.

It’s unclear what percentage of Orrick’s associate workforce got sent home today. The firm announced it had cut 100 associates, and says it had 712. That makes a 14 percent reduction. But the firm calls it 12 percent, by adding 95 of counsel to swell its non-partner ranks to 807.

Why count of counsels, we asked — were any of them shown the door? The firm has told us that the “100 associates” number actually included of counsel. Legal Pad has been asking all morning how many of counsel were let go, but the firm continues to hedge.

What’s the big deal over a perception of 2 percent? Twelve percent is the amount by which Latham & Watkins reduced its associate ranks on Friday — at that point the largest reduction by any U.S.-based firm. Orrick’s math gives it a tie rather than setting a new record.

Big firms always want to be seen to be on the cutting edge, but not when they’re cutting jobs.

— Amanda Royal

Layoffs have recruiters looking for new bread and butter, too

BETWEEN JOBS An occasional look at how job hunting legal professionals cope with a crisis economy.

Updated: We heard back from Delia Swan today (Tuesday) and want to correct how many of her recruiters have historically done partner placements, and also clarify that her company has made some associate placements in '09. See below for more on both things.

The fist of the associate job market has gut-punched young lawyers –- and the recruiters who tend to them.

Delia Swan, of Southern California’s Swan Legal Search, feels the pain. Associate placements once accounted for 75 to 80 percent of her six-recruiter team’s income. “We have no associate income anymore,” she told Legal Pad this afternoon. [Updated Tuesday:] Or, more precisely, less: She says her team has placed about half a dozen associates since the start of the year, compared to 15 to 20 placements at the same time last year.

Surviving on partner laterals, and what's left for associates, after the jump ...

On the Job Hunt Front, A Thank-You Note Gone Wrong

BETWEEN JOBS An occasional look at how job hunting legal professionals cope with a crisis economy.

The horrors of the job search have many faces. Even if you triple check your e-mails before you hit send, you can't be sure how they’ll look when they arrive.

Marcia Delgadillo says she's been on a couple of interviews since Manatt, Phelps & Phillips laid her off from her marketing post in mid-January. This past Thursday, she was feeling particularly good after her first interview with a midsize San Francisco law firm. "The interview went well," she said. It felt like a good fit. She and the interviewer clicked, she thought. But that same day an e-mail arrived in response to her thank you note that made her hair stand on end.

If you use e-mail, you'll want to read the jump. So yes, that means all of you ...

San Francisco DA Lays Off Some Lawyers, Staff

San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris laid off at least five staffers and two attorneys today, citing the national economic crisis and the city’s more-than $500 million budget deficit.

“The layoffs we are being forced to make are strictly budgetary,” Harris said in a statement released by office spokeswoman Erica Derryck. “This is an extremely difficult and painful process for our entire office. We will continue to pursue justice and public safety with the work we do every day.”

Erika Yuen, an attorney in the DA’s misdemeanor unit, was one of those laid off, said Elliot Beckelman, an assistant DA and vice president in the union that represents lawyers in the district attorney, city attorney and public defender’s offices. Beckelman said Yuen was a talented and well-liked attorney. Beckelman said he couldn’t confirm other layoffs but said he had heard that two or three paralegals lost their jobs.

But according to multiple sources in the DA’s office, Harris also laid off Monique Camperi, another misdemeanor attorney. Office sources said there were at least five other layoffs, too: three paralegals and two investigators.

Derryck declined to discuss specifics, including whether the office thought today’s layoffs will prevent future staff reductions. She said the office had 253 total employees, including 123 lawyers, before the layoffs. She would not say how many staffers or lawyers the office has now.

In recent months of budget negotiations, City Attorney Dennis Herrera and Public Defender Jeff Adachi’s offices have said that they have not had to lay anyone off for budget reasons, but they, like Harris’ office, have cut vacant positions.

—  Evan Hill

Pillsbury Confirms Loudmouth's Layoff Gaffe

All aboard, and leave your wits (and any sense of decorum) at the door!

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman confirmed Thursday it will conduct layoffs in the near future after the legal blog Above the Law reported an anonymous tipster’s detailed description of a loud cell phone conversation between senior managers regarding the reductions.

The call apparently took place between Bob Robbins, head of the Corporate and Securities practice, and COO Rick Donaldson. Robbins apparently named names of 15 to 20 attorneys who should be laid off in four offices by the end of March. .

Pillsbury issued this statement to The Recorder/Legal Pad on Thursday morning:

“It is an unfortunate fact in today’s economy that no business or law firm can rule out adjustments to their overall workforce levels. This includes Pillsbury, and among other cost cutting measures, we will be implementing reductions to assure that our resources are aligned with our business needs. We apologize for the unfortunate manner in which our deliberations about reductions have become public.”

Robbins unknowingly confirmed to ATL that he was on the 2 p.m. Amtrak express from D.C. to New York on Wednesday, the same train as the tipster.

“I was on the 2:00 train this afternoon. Do I know you? Did you find something I had left?” Robbins responded to an email sent from ATL under a pseudonym. We also called Robbins’ D.C. office this morning and were told he’s unavailable … he’s in New York today.

Pillsbury’s Web site was inaccessible for some of the morning, but it was unclear whether that was related to the blog item, which linked to profiles of Robbins and Donaldson.

— Amanda Royal

Luce, Forward Lays Off 27

Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps has joined the ranks of law firms that have been trimming their ranks.

The San Diego firm cut 12 attorneys and 15 staff positions, firm Managing Partner Kurt Kicklighter told us this afternoon in an e-mail, citing current economic conditions. The cuts came in San Diego and San Francisco, and the transactional practice took the brunt.

One partner was cut, and the rest were junior-level associates, Kicklighter said. The firm had started seven first-years in January and Kicklighter declined to say how many of the laid off associates were in that group. It was not all of them, he said.

The decision comes just as Kicklighter takes over as firmwide managing partner, tasked with helping the firm to grow out of its San Diego centrism and build its presence across California. The partnership had been considering this decision for a while, he said. “We do not make snap decisions that affect people’s lives,” he said, adding that the firm has pursued other cost saving measures. Associate salaries were also frozen across the board today, he said.

Though the move curbs its immediate headcount, the firm had about 190 lawyers in December when we profiled it on CalLaw.com. The firm did not have an updated headcount available immediately this afternoon.

Kicklighter said that the layoffs don’t derail Luce, Forward’s wider plans for statewide growth. “Our practices in non-San Diego are generally strong,” he said. “The one’s we’ve adjusted are now at the appropriate size to be solid foundations for growth.”

—  Petra Pasternak

MoFo cuts 53 lawyers, 148 staff

UPDATE: MoFo said it's cutting 53 attorneys and 148 staff today. Here's a statement from the firm: 

Morrison & Foerster has reduced its legal and non-legal staffing in its U.S.offices to align our firm with client needs in this extraordinary economic downturn. We notified 53 attorneys and 148 staff of the termination of their employment.  These decisions are exceedingly painful, but necessary to assure that we address the current economic challenge from a position of financial conservatism and strength.  Notwithstanding the difficult steps we are taking today, the state of the firm is strong and we are confident about our future...Those affected are eligible for severance pay and health care benefits.  We deeply appreciate the dedicated and valuable contributions these individuals have brought to our clients and the Firm.

The original post, chatting with a now-former staffer, after the jump:

Mass layoffs at Wilson Sonsini

Wilson Sonsini axed 45 lawyers and 68 staff today. The majority of the cuts are in the firm’s Palo Alto headquarters, according to firm spokeswoman Courtney Dorman. The news was first reported on Above the Law.

“It’s economic downsizing,” Dorman told Legal Pad.  “I think every business has been impacted by the downturn and we’re not exempt from that.”

Last week, Valley competitor Cooley laid off 52 lawyers and 62 staff citing the crappy economy. Most of those cuts were corporate lawyers and the same is true at Wilson Sonsini.

“The capital markets have been considerably weakened by what’s going on and we’re heavily focused on the capital markets,” Dorman said.

The layoffs were announced at a partner meeting this morning. A memo was sent out to the entire firm after the meeting.The firm also announced that associate salaries will be frozen for the upcoming year. 

Legal Pad believes it's the first time that Wilson Sonsini has publicly announced lawyer layoffs. Following the dot-com bust, the firm shed more than 150 associates through performance-related firings and attrition, but didn't call them layoffs.

More to come later — specifically, we'll have a story up at CalLaw.com tonight.

- Zusha Elinson