Paralegals

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…

Dec 10, 2008 3:55 PM CST

Proskauer Rose Says 35 Associate Layoffs Due in Part to Low Attrition Rate

Many law firms are attributing lawyer layoffs to the economic downturn. The latest law firm to announce layoffs is citing an additional reason: Fewer associates are voluntarily leaving the law firm. In a statement issued yesterday, Proskauer Rose said it is laying off 35 associates and 25 administrative staffers, the…

Dec 5, 2008 12:28 PM CST

Brown Rudnick Lawyers Learn of Layoffs in Two Phases

It must have been a harrowing day on Wednesday for associates and staffers at Boston-based Brown Rudnick Berlack Israels. The law firm laid off 20 lawyers and 23 staffers that day, according to a press release issued by the firm, and everyone knew it was coming, Above the Law reports.…

Nov 21, 2008 1:03 PM CST

Pay Hikes Delayed, Business-Based Bonuses Axed at Bryan Cave

Associates at Bryan Cave will have to wait three months longer than usual to learn whether they will get a pay hike. And they won’t receive bonuses under the firm’s unusual business generation program after November tallies. The firm announced the news in a memo yesterday that was posted on…

Nov 21, 2008 11:58 AM CST

Squire Sanders Asks 30 Attorneys and Paralegals to Leave

Despite winning a hefty “bailout love” contract to do work for the U.S. Treasury Department recently, Squire Sanders & Dempsey is laying off 30 lawyers and paralegals. “We have completed annual reviews of all of our associates and, as a result of that process and with regret have advised some…

Nov 21, 2008 12:25 AM CST

Staff of Ratner Prestia Rally to Help Ailing Co-Worker

When Melissa Clemons was diagnosed with a rare form of brain tumor, her co-workers on the staff of Ratner Prestia rallied to her support. “Among the things the office staff has done to help Clemons and her family is organize a dress-down day on Fridays where staff members can wear…

Nov 18, 2008 8:28 PM CST

Alston & Bird Offers Early Retirement Incentive to Senior Staffers

Alston & Bird is offering an incentive for early retirement to staffers above age 55 who have been with the law firm for at least 10 years. Paralegals and other staffers who take the offer and retire by the end of the year have two choices, according to the Fulton…

Nov 17, 2008 7:02 PM CST

Board Says La. Law Partners Treated Staff as Attorneys, Seeks Disbarment

Two longtime Louisiana lawyers have been recommended for disbarment after a disciplinary board found in what a local newspaper described as an “often blistering opinion” that they allowed staff of their Baton Rouge-based law firm to act as attorneys. E. Eric Guirard and law partner Thomas R. Pittenger allowed non-attorneys…

Nov 13, 2008 4:50 PM CST

Answering the Dreaded ‘Portables’ Question

When looking for a new law firm job, there’s one inevitable question that seasoned lawyers often dread: “What are your portables?” Feeling stuck between a rock and a hard place–underestimating may kill the application, but overstating could lead to problems later–many attorneys have trouble providing a firm number. And, of…

Nov 6, 2008 11:22 PM CST

Chadbourne & Parke Freezes Hiring of Laterals, Nonlawyers

Chadbourne & Parke informed its lawyers and staffers in a memo yesterday that some of them may have to be reassigned to busier practice areas because of a hiring freeze. The freeze won’t affect the firm’s 2009 summer associate class, the National Law Journal reports. It applies only to lateral…

Oct 29, 2008 1:55 PM CDT

O’Melveny Says Cost-Cutting Drove Staff Cuts, but Not Associate Ousters

A review of costs at O’Melveny & Myers this year has resulted in staff layoffs, but ousted associates were fired for performance rather than cost-saving reasons, according to a firm spokeswoman. The blog Above the Law has reported that five Los Angeles associates left the law firm this week. O’Melveny…

Oct 24, 2008 2:08 PM CDT

New Heller Layoffs; Axed Secretary Tells of Disappearing Copiers

Most of the remaining staff at Heller Ehrman have reportedly received an e-mail informing them that today is their last day at the law firm. Employees at the firm estimated that hundreds of staffers were being laid off, and one source said today is the last day for most of…

Oct 17, 2008 11:22 AM CDT

‘Hero’ Administrative Assistant at Lieff Cabraser Used Safety Training Lessons

A longtime administrative assistant at Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein who managed to escort a bomb suspect into a conference room had received safety training just a week before that emphasized staying calm in a crisis. Today the administrative assistant is getting a massage along with some rest and relaxation,…

Oct 14, 2008 6:31 PM CDT

At Least 100 Heller Employees Laid Off on Friday

Updated: Two e-mails were dispatched to Heller Ehrman employees last Friday. One informed the recipients they were being asked to continue working at the law firm, for now. The other had bad news for at least 100 staffers: It was their last day at the firm. Both the Recorder and…

Oct 13, 2008 10:56 AM CDT

Ex-Paralegal Pleads Guilty to Stealing $1.7M from Conn. Law Firm

A former paralegal at a Connecticut law firm has pleaded guilty to stealing $1.7 million from client and firm accounts to pay her gambling debts. Patricia Baddeley-Meehan stole the money from Berman & Russo in South Windsor to pay off cash advances taken for gambling at various casinos, the Hartford…

Oct 10, 2008 12:54 PM CDT