Chadbourne invokes hiring freeze on lateral associates, legal staff
October 29, 2008
In an effort to cut costs in a down economy, New York-based Chadbourne & Parke has instituted a hiring freeze on lateral associates and legal staff. Managing partner Charles O'Neill informed the firm of the freeze in a memo on Tuesday, which said that attorneys may temporarily be shifted from slow practices to help out in busy practice areas since no additional attorneys will be hired in the immediate future.
The memo was posted on legal gossip blog Above the Law, and firm spokesman Andrew Blum confirmed that it was sent out.
"We feel this is the best way to manage our resources and best meet the needs of our clients," Blum said. "[The hiring freeze] will last until it becomes clear that the economy is improving."
Blum said the freeze applies to nonlegal staff and lateral associate hiring, but won't have an impact on the firm's 2009 summer associate class. It's somewhat unusual for a firm to be so forthcoming about the existence of a hiring freeze, said legal consultant Joel Rose. Others firms have instituted hiring freezes recently, but haven't announced it to attorneys and staff, he said.
"Even though everybody recognizes that firms aren't really growing during a recession, they don't want it known that they aren't hiring because it makes them look like they don't have work," Rose said.
He said that Chadbourne & Parke's candor about the situation should help give associates a clearer picture of their futures at the firm. The hiring freeze could even benefit some associates who get moved to new practice areas in order to fill in gaps, since they may find themselves working with new partners. That added exposure could pay dividends down the line as the associates look to move up the firm ranks, Rose said.
O'Neill's memo offered some reassurance to the firm, saying that Chadbourne & Parke is in a fairly good position to ride out the economic downturn, because it isn't overly dependent on any one geographic area or practice area.
The law firm, which has about 420 attorneys, also is planning to save money by delaying a planned technology upgrade, O'Neil said in his memo.
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