Downturn Could Make Recommended Legal Staffing Ratios a Reality

The longtime recommendation for lawyer staff ratios has been three lawyers for every one secretary. Recent staff cuts at law firms, spurred by the economic downturn, could finally bring more law firms into compliance.

Legal staffing at the top law firms is down 18 percent through September, according to a study by Wachovia’s legal specialty group summarized by the American Lawyer. In just the past month alone, law firms have laid off at least 300 staffers, including 115 at Reed Smith and 90 at White & Case, the National Law Journal reports.

Joseph Altonji, a consultant with Hildebrandt International, told the National Law Journal that the downturn has forced the layoffs. "It's a time for firms to get serious about improving their operations," he said. "It's forcing them to look at how they do things."

But he cautioned about the need for prudence. "In good times, you'll see firms that have built up some extra fat in their administration. Some of these staffs have gotten really large, and they will cut nonessential positions," he told the NLJ. "Other firms will cut into the bone, and make cuts that aren't prudent. Essential services could be curtailed."