Suit by Fired Lateral Partner Says Edwards Angell Should Have Lowered Expectations

A lateral partner fired for failing to meet revenue projections claims in a lawsuit that Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge should have lowered its expectations after the economic downturn.

Edwards Angell hired Stephen Connoni from K&L Gates in September 2007, the New York Law Journal reports. Connoni was to be paid $625,000 the next year if he generated $1.9 million in new business and collected $800,000 in fees, according to the complaint. In 2009, he was to be paid according to the firm’s usual calculations for capital partners, but he left before that.

The suit says Connoni was unable to meet billing expectations because of the bad economy and a lack of support from Edwards Angell, which did not introduce him to firm clients, the story says. Connoni also alleges the law firm failed to take a required partnership vote on his firing.

Edwards Angell has filed a motion to dismiss and arbitrate the claim. The firm says it collected only $135,000 for Connoni’s work in 2007 and 2008, that Connoni failed to make capital contributions on time, and that at times he did not show up for work, according to the story.