Sidley Austin Will Fire 89 Associate Lawyers and 140 Staff in U.S.
By Joel Rosenblatt
March 12 (Bloomberg) -- Sidley Austin LLP, the Chicago- based law firm with more than 1,800 attorneys worldwide, said it will dismiss 89 associates and 140 staff members in the U.S. because of the decline in work due to the economy.
The law firm, where President Barack Obama once worked and met his wife-to-be Michelle, must “aggressively manage expenses” and dismiss employees to keep lawyers “fully productive and professionally satisfied,” Sidley Austin’s management committee said in a memo e-mailed to all employees.
“We have provided these lawyers and staff with financial and other assistance to help with their transitions,” the committee said in the memo, adding that the firm’s office in London today also announced “redundancy consultation.”
The memo was obtained from the firm’s spokeswoman, Janet Zagorin, who declined to comment further.
Baker & McKenzie LLP, based in Chicago, today said it will dismiss as many as 30 lawyers, 30 secretaries and 25 support staff in its London office. DLA Piper LLP, also based in Chicago, said last month it would dismiss as many as 30 lawyers and 110 staff in London. Latham & Watkins LLP, based in Los Angeles, fired 190 lawyers and 250 staff firmwide last month, while New York-based White & Case LLP said this week it will cut as many as 95 positions in the U.K.
To contact the reporter on this story: Joel Rosenblatt in San Francisco at jrosenblatt@bloomberg.net.
Last Updated: March 12, 2009 20:17 EDT |
