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Be very wary of firms that claim to have had no layoffs.

DPW and Skadden have stealthed almost as many associates as Latham did publicly (and yes, including very junior folks). At least Latham was honest about it.

What do you think of Latham? Is it a risky place to be now?

Covington, GDC, and Jones Day can be added to the list.

Anonymous User wrote:What do you think of Latham? Is it a risky place to be now?

I actually like them a lot and don't think it's a risky place to be at. I have friends at firms across the board, some who are still at the firms they started with, some who got let go. The ones who were let go from Latham at least got public notice that they are good attorneys and just hurt by the economics of the time, and I know that a number of attorneys and staff have been very aggressive and helpful about placing attorneys at other firms, etc. (one of my good friends got a pretty nice in-house job that way).

I know way too many people at some of the supposedly "safe" firms who got quietly pushed out the door execution-style over the past two years

At least two of thos firms have been very, very public about not doing layoffs, and I have yet to see any reputable source indicate otherwise.

Really?

Gibson Dunn:

Members believe the firm is “quietly” laying off associates and disguising the layoffs as performance-based terminations. Members report that the stealth layoffs have mostly affected senior associates or those associates who did not meet the firm’s unofficial billable hours target.

http://careers.abovethelaw.com/firm_snapshots?id=8

Jones Day layoffs are well known, and Covington is from an insider source.

Anonymous User wrote:

At least two of thos firms have been very, very public about not doing layoffs, and I have yet to see any reputable source indicate otherwise.

Really?

Gibson Dunn:

Members believe the firm is “quietly” laying off associates and disguising the layoffs as performance-based terminations. Members report that the stealth layoffs have mostly affected senior associates or those associates who did not meet the firm’s unofficial billable hours target.

http://careers.abovethelaw.com/firm_snapshots?id=8

Jones Day layoffs are well known, and Covington is from an insider source.

What part of "reputable source" is not understood? "Well known" and "insider source" sounds a lot like "random internet forum." ATL's career center, for that matter, has the same feel--though admittedly less so.

.

Anonymous User wrote:

At least two of thos firms have been very, very public about not doing layoffs, and I have yet to see any reputable source indicate otherwise.

Really?

Gibson Dunn:

Members believe the firm is “quietly” laying off associates and disguising the layoffs as performance-based terminations. Members report that the stealth layoffs have mostly affected senior associates or those associates who did not meet the firm’s unofficial billable hours target.

http://careers.abovethelaw.com/firm_snapshots?id=8

Jones Day layoffs are well known, and Covington is from an insider source.

Re: GDC - I don't see how those are 'stealth layoffs.' Those sound like valid performance reasons.

vamedic03 wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:

At least two of thos firms have been very, very public about not doing layoffs, and I have yet to see any reputable source indicate otherwise.

Really?

Gibson Dunn:

Members believe the firm is “quietly” laying off associates and disguising the layoffs as performance-based terminations. Members report that the stealth layoffs have mostly affected senior associates or those associates who did not meet the firm’s unofficial billable hours target.

http://careers.abovethelaw.com/firm_snapshots?id=8

Jones Day layoffs are well known, and Covington is from an insider source.

Re: GDC - I don't see how those are 'stealth layoffs.' Those sound like valid performance reasons.

I think that that's basically the problem with this. We've sort of lost any definition of what constitutes "stealth layoffs." Most would say that stealth layoffs are those that are disguised as performance-related, but which really aren't (bad performance review after 2 years of stellar remarks-->immediate dismissal). However, this says those affected were those "who did not meet the firm's unofficial billable hours target." Sure, there may be some wiggle room with "unofficial," but hours requirements are standard and not meeting one seems like a pretty valid reason for being laid off.

stealth layoffs of senior associates are of rather marginal concern to people in law school now. those are the people who normally voluntarily or "voluntarily" left with the firm helping them line up some other gig. by the time any of us are senior associates who knows what the economy will be like? no point in even guessing really...

While I can't speak to Covington (no idea), i definitely know of people being booted at GDC (many) and Jones Day (one). With crap severance, etc. Talk to actual attorneys, not those clueless guys at ATL or law.com

I would do some research, to ensure these places haven't done the low key firings that have been mentioned this past year. No one wants to publicly announce they are firing people, but some are doing it, or cutting back hours/dollars.

Take his words with a grain of salt.