This week we offer you a potpourri of layoff & salary-cut rumors from firms in the Valley.First, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck gave associates (in Denver) a choice between deeper job cuts and higher salaries, or deeper salary cuts and fewer job losses. The associates opted for the salary cuts, and reportedly saved eight jobs. (Yeah, right.) The firm still cut 15 associates and 22 staff members. Rumor has it that their Las Vegas office only lost one attorney.
Next, Greenberg Traurig decided to cut salaries for summer associates and first year attorneys by 10%. Yet another sign that the rumored merger with KKBRF is likely toast.
Speaking of our friends at Kummer Kaempfer, recent comments in this post point to more bad news for the firm. It all started with this:
KKBRF is at it again! A large amount of the firms top lawyers are bailing and leaving the rest of the firm to fend for themselves. Top dog Michael Bonner along with several others will be going to Greenberg Traurig after all. There will only be like 12 attorneys left in the whole "mega firm" and who will suffer...the support staff who will be let go.That was followed up by a commenter who said that Tom Kummer may be leaving the firm as well. Good luck to all of you KKBRF associates if this is true.
Finally, we got a random comment yesterday on a very old post that simply said: "The bloom is off the rose ... attorneys are leaving [Holland & Hart] not by their own choice." We're not the gardening type, so we don't really get the euphemism ... but it sure doesn't sound good.
Right now, anyone with a job anywhere ought to feel blessed. I think I'm going to bring my boss some coffee and kiss up a bit today.
ReplyDeleteI've heard through the grapevine that three people were laid off at Brownstein in Las Vegas, two staff and one Associate. Brownstein laid off 22 staff and 15 attorneys nationwide. Why don't they just fess up to their layoffs?
ReplyDeleteI should have gone to nursing school. This sucks
ReplyDeleteI've got a feeling that the Heavy Hitter and other Plaintiff's firms are going to see a steep rise in competition as laid-off attorneys and jobless law grads start hanging shingles. I guess debtor's bk firms will do well for the next while (incidentally, I was just thrilled to hear that the Heavy Hitter is now adding debtor's work to the line-up). I guess this will be good for the average accident victim - possibly drive down the insane contingency fees. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the comment about kissing up to the boss today. I'm going to do that too.
ReplyDeleteCrap, I was just about to send my resume to KK.
ReplyDeleteSO WHERE'S MY COFFEE!?
ReplyDeleteI have heard from an inside source that some attorneys at Holland & Hart were told to find new jobs. I don't know if these are layoffs or firings under the guise of a bad economy; regardless, the firm is shrinking.
ReplyDelete3:54: Very interesting regarding Holland & Hart. From the Vegas office? Do you know how many? Transactional? Or litigation?
ReplyDeleteApril 22 Anon @ 10:18 AM: I can think of at least two very good reasons why they don't "just fess up to their layoffs"
ReplyDelete1. As a current client, knowing the firm you hired to handle your legal affairs is having to dump employees doesn't inspire confidence. You might worry about their ability to stay afloat and look to transfer your files elsewhere.
2. As a potential client, knowing the firm you are considering hiring to handle your legal affairs is having to dump employees doesn't inspire confidence. You might reasonably worry about their ability to stay afloat and look to hire a different firm.
Law firms, much like individual lawyers, have only their reputations - and perception often counts for more than does reality.
Excellent points, 5:14. And on the other end of the spectrum, any firm that's actually growing in this economy looks great to potential clients, especially transactional firms that are growing (if there are any???).
ReplyDeleteI know at least one of the attorney's at H&H who was told to find a new job is a litigator.
ReplyDeleteI know an insider at HH and they have good info that the litigator was told to leave because their work product is awful. Beyond that HH has not moved towards any layoffs. A lot of firms are shedding dead weight right now.
ReplyDelete"alot of firms are shedding dead weight right now"
ReplyDeleteMaybe splitting hairs, but if these are people that would keep their jobs in "normal" economic conditions, then that looks more like a economically motivated lay-off than simply shedding dead weight. Sure, the people that are first to be let go will be those who show the least promise or whose billables are down or whose practice group doesn't have work. But what constitutes a "layoff?" I dunno.
A lot of time, it's hard to just hard to get rid of "dead weight". They do the bare minimum and it takes time and energy (and sometimes money) to manage them out in normal conditions. A lot of managers don't have the time, skill, or inclination. But now they can use the economy as the excuse and it makes the process a lot smoother and no one questions, for better or worse
ReplyDeleteI would have to agree with Anon 4/24 @ 10:09:
ReplyDeleteI'd also add that there are certain people who might have obtained their job by other than their abilities (i.e. political connections, nepotism, etc) and who cannot be laid off without certain consequences. The economy is the perfect excuse to get rid of them.
I have been hearing rumors all week about Kummer Kaempfer from partners at my firm, and I don't think they received their info from this board. Any updates?
ReplyDeleteIVE HEARD RUMORS TOO AND THEY ARENT FROM THIS BOARD EITHER. THEY ARE FROM PEOPLE WHO STILL WORK THERE!!
ReplyDeleteYah something is going on but no one is saying for sure when or what. I have a really bad feeling though and wish they would just get on with it. I hate sitting on pins and needles everyday wondering if I am still going to have a job.
ReplyDeleteKeep an eye out for some departures at Kummer Kaempfer and not on the train track to GT.
ReplyDeleteAny new rumors out of Kummer Kaempfer? Holland & Hart? Brownstein?
ReplyDelete4:08 check this out:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.foxrothschild.com/Attorneys/Attorney.aspx?id=9970
There is a rumor that this coming Monday, half of the staff at Kummer Kampfer will be let go. This is due to a named partner's transfer to GT. He will bring all his Transactional attorneys with him to GT
ReplyDeleteIf this rumor is true-wonder what will happen to the Reno and Carson offices????? bet the people who got out prior are pretty glad they did. Know some people who still work there and its a sad situation for the staff-first for not being told anything and second for having to sit and wonder. Is this from a reliable source?
ReplyDelete9:31 what do you mean by "got out prior?" Laid off?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the sharing...............
ReplyDelete___________________
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