Akin Gump Axes 47 Associates, 57 Staff

A law firm thought to be on the verge of making layoffs today has now confirmed the bad news.

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, which is based in Dallas, has announced that it is cutting 47 associates and 57 paralegals and staff because of economic conditions, reports Texas Lawyer. Today's axing of these 104 jobs comes after another round of layoffs in January, which eliminated 65 staff jobs.

Sheila Turner, a spokewoman for the firm, declined to provide a specific breakdown by office, but said layoffs were made at most of the firm's 13 offices. Some first-year associates are included in the cuts, but Turner didn't say how many.

Akin Gump initially tried to avoid layoffs, Turner says, by shifting lawyers from slow practice areas to busier ones and cutting overhead.

Related coverage:

Above the Law: "Nationwide Layoff Watch: Something is Going Down At Akin Gump"

ABAJournal.com: "Why Akin Gump Lost 59 Partners and Made More Money in 2008"

ABAJournal.com: "Hunton Prowls for Litigators; Akin Denies Trouble"