As partners at Dewey & LeBoeuf stream toward the exits, the question is no longer, “Who’s departing?” Rather, it’s become a matter of, “Who’s left?”
Tuesday brought new announcements from at least 10 firms that they were taking on Dewey lawyers. But Dewey’s leadership is sticking it out, at least for now. That includes all four members of the office of the chairmanJeffrey Kessler, Martin Bienenstock, and Richard Shutran in New York, and Charles Landgraf in Washington, D.C.as well as vice-chair Ralph Ferrara in D.C.
Several other partners reached on Tuesday say they are actively looking around for a new home, and that there’s been no sign of a dissolution vote or any other process announced for how the firm will wind down. One optimistic partner said on Tuesday: “I still support the firm. And, if we can turn things around, I’ll do what I can to turn it around.”
Associates and staff, meanwhile, have been told that within a week they will be out of a job, according to several news reports, including a report in sibling publication New York Law Journal. The firm alerted all nonpartner employees last Friday that “it is possible that adverse developments could ultimately result in the closure of the firm.” (The Am Law Daily also reported on May 3 that the firm would be shutting down by May 15.)
Former and current Dewey employees have banded together to help those still at the firm find new jobs. In the most recent example, more than 500 people have joined a Facebook group called “Dewey & LeBoeuf Job Share” to swap tips on prospective openings.
Several sources familiar with one large group still at Dewey, a 60-lawyer litigation practice led by global department chair Kessler, say that it has held discussions with Greenberg Traurig, King & Spalding, Morrison & Foerster, and Winston & Strawn. One source told The Am Law Daily that Kessler was mulling several options, including keeping the group intact or spinning off different pieces to various firms in order to salvage as many associate jobs as possible. Kessler, who also cochairs Deweys sports litigation practice, did not respond to a request for comment on where his group might land.
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