Paralegals

How Law Firms Can Protect Themselves Against Suits by Laid-Off Workers

Some fired associates are firing back with suits against their law firms, highlighting the need for firms to plan and follow the law when laying off workers. The National Law Journal spoke with experts about their advice for firms. They told the newspaper that firms should: • Decide which employees…

Feb 19, 2009 1:56 PM CST

UK Law Firm Simmons & Simmons to Ax Up to 69 Employees

Another United Kingdom law firm is preparing to lay off employees. The firm Simmons & Simmons has announced a review that could lead to layoffs of up to 20 associates and 49 other support staffers, report Legal Week, the Lawyer and Times Online. Last year, the firm laid off eight…

Feb 18, 2009 2:59 PM CST

Laid-Off Lawyer Competes with Other Attorneys for Paralegal Jobs

A 43-year-old Los Angeles lawyer who was laid off from her in-house job more than a year ago still has no permanent job, as unemployment takes a toll on her marriage and her finances. The lawyer, Ellie Trope, has 15 years of experience, but her job search has still been…

Feb 17, 2009 3:22 PM CST

Why So Many Law Firm Layoffs in Just One Day?

Speculation abounds about why so many lawyers and law firm staffers were axed last Thursday. Was it fear of Friday the 13th? A vast conspiracy? Or mere market forces at work? In all, 476 staffers and 317 lawyers were laid off—a total of 793 jobs lost. Above the Law noted…

Feb 17, 2009 1:16 PM CST

Last Week’s Layoffs Saved Law Firms an Estimated $100M

Layoffs of around 800 lawyers and legal staffers at large law firms last Thursday likely saved the firms more than $100 million collectively in annual salaries and benefits. Legal Times came up with the number based on a legal consultant’s estimate of annual savings. Thomas Clay of Altman Weil said…

Feb 17, 2009 12:52 PM CST

Bloody Thursday Layoffs Also Hit Cozen, Epstein Becker; ‘Big Ones’ Still to Come

The count of jobs lost in yesterday’s Bloody Thursday continues to swell. Epstein Becker & Green and Cozen O’Connor have confirmed layoffs, bringing to eight the number of well-known law firms that cut people yesterday. In all, 476 staffers and 317 lawyers were laid off—or a total of 793 jobs…

Feb 13, 2009 12:12 PM CST

Hiring Disbarred Lawyer Was a Mistake, Ex-Judge Says

Hiring—and trusting—a disbarred lawyer known for his 1980s involvement in a bizarre condoms-for-chickens scam was a mistake, a retired Michigan judge says. “Former Clinton Township district court judge William Cannon blamed his criminal woes on his legal researcher Timothy Mucciante today at an adjourned preliminary exam,” reports the Detroit Free…

Feb 11, 2009 7:35 PM CST

Nixon Peabody Cuts 20 Lawyers, 36 Staff Positions

Nixon Peabody is eliminating the jobs of 20 lawyers and 36 support staffers. The law firm provided a statement announcing the layoffs to Above the Law. “Prudent management of our business requires that we downsize our associate, legal support, and administrative ranks, with the result that 20 attorneys will be…

Feb 10, 2009 5:35 PM CST

Lawyers at UK Firm Reduce Work Hours to Save Jobs

Several lawyers and legal staffers at Mills & Reeve have agreed to work fewer hours or take sabbaticals to avoid layoffs at the British law firm. About 25 jobs were saved as a result of the agreements, the Lawyer reports. The story tells of a group of six staffers who…

Feb 10, 2009 5:14 PM CST

Experts Advise on Key Custody Issue: The Family Dog

A divorcing spouse may think his or her dog will be bereft without a favorite human at hand. But actually the most stressful part of a divorce for some canines is the lack of routine that results, reports the Asheville, N.C., Citizen-Times. “We’ve had cases where, just like the parents…

Feb 9, 2009 7:35 PM CST

Luce Forward Lays Off 12 Lawyers, 15 Support Staffers

Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps has announced the layoffs of 12 lawyers and 15 support staffers. The layoffs primarily affect transactional practice areas—in business, corporate and real estate practices—and are because of economic conditions, according to a press release and Ramona Cyr, director of business development and marketing at the…

Feb 9, 2009 5:45 PM CST

Former Fla. Lawyer and Her Paralegal Charged with Stealing Client Funds

Last year, Jessica Miller blamed her paralegal, office manager and best friend, Kristen Collins, for the disarray in her law firm’s financial records that led Miller to give up her license to practice law in Florida. Collins, on her side, said she paid firm and personal bills with client trust…

Feb 7, 2009 2:04 AM CST

Blog Notes ‘Extraordinarily High Rate of Staff-Alone Layoffs’

Law firms laying off associates often ax two to three times more support staffers, and in some cases it’s the staffers alone who are being fired. Law21 notes the trend and comments on the “extraordinarily high rate of staff-alone layoffs.” The blog speculates on the reasons. Law firms may fear…

Feb 2, 2009 1:07 PM CST

Fish & Richardson Confirms Lawyer Layoffs; 49 Have Left Since November

The intellectual property law firm Fish & Richardson says it has fired 49 lawyers since November, and some of the dismissals were for financial reasons. A statement released on Friday also confirmed the layoffs of 30 support staffers, according to Above the Law and the Daily Journal. Last week, Above…

Feb 2, 2009 11:49 AM CST

Ropes & Gray Lays Off 106 Staff

A Boston-based international law firm is laying off 10 percent of its staff because of the economic situation. In an internal memo, Ropes & Gray’s chairman, R. Bradford Malt, announces the 106 staff layoffs, reports Above the Law. No attorney layoffs were made, and no further layoffs of either lawyers…

Jan 29, 2009 10:39 PM CST