Going to Heller in a Handbasket? (Part 3)
Another day, another report of problems for Heller Ehrman. As usual, the bad news comes not from ATL, but from an MSM source -- so don't accuse us of making this stuff up. We're just piggybacking on our friends in the print media.
From the Legal Times:
Like a California Beemer spinning its wheels in Potomac River swampland, San Francisco-based Heller Ehrman just can’t seem to gain traction in Washington.Last year, the firm’s D.C. head count grew by only one attorney. This year, the office is down eight, from 57 attorneys to 49, a 14 percent decline....
[T]here are also signs of trouble firm-wide. Earlier this month the firm suffered two major losses. Partner Patricia Gillette, who helped anchor Heller’s San Francisco office, jumped to Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe. Gillette, who was a co-chairwoman of the labor and employment practice, brought another partner and four associates with her. Jerry Marks, Heller’s former Los Angeles managing partner, has signed on at Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy. In September, the firm also laid off 65 support staff members.
Though the 700-lawyer Heller is still considered a solid firm, its recent losses and its moribund Washington numbers have some observers wondering what is ailing the California power.
Is the Legal Times making a mountain out of a molehill? Or is Heller's D.C. office -- located just down the street from us, with a gigantic silver sign over the door -- really in trouble?
Firm Has D.C. Discontent [Legal Times (subscription)]
Earlier: Prior ATL coverage of Heller Ehrman (scroll down)
(28) Comments
FIRST!
second
First!
Damn second?
fourth
fifth
NY to 190
NY to 190
NY to 190
NY to 190
SEVENTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
CSM just sent out bonus memo
CSM just sent out bonus memo
NY to 190
NY to 190
Cravath just went to 250k! ........
Just kidding. Anyone know the #s?? Post it baby!
Lat just posted the Cravath news.
Whatever happened at that Heller associates meeting which somebody mentioned last week?
Heller is so lame that no one even talks about it in its own posts . . .
Lat, this was still good info. Thanks.
Regardless of whether it's growing, Heller's DC office seems to be doing okay work:
http://www.hellerehrman.com/en/news/press/press_3345.html
THIS is worthy of an ATL post? 8 one-off attorney departures over the course of a year, without a practice group or big name departing? You are really stretching to make Heller some sort of saga that it isn't, Lat... I expect more.
What 7:07 said.
I wonder how many attorneys have left mofo over the past 12 months? What about Latham?
Yeah, well how many Legal Times articles were there about MoFo and Latham sucking? The article makes this post-worthy. Heller is withering.
Heller is getting ready to serve their employees a big ole shit sandwich, and they're all going to take a bite.
Wow, what a huge story. You are telling me that there are 8 less attorneys than last year in a 57 attorney office?
Has the NY Times picked this up yet?
Run for the hills folks, this is some scary stuff.
7:27: This site ran a story about Latham layoff rumors 2 weeks ago.
I heard a paralegal quit mofo last week. A sign of things to come?
Heller will open in Shanghai in January 2008.
http://www.hellerehrman.com/en/news/press/press_3347.html
How can we sleep when our beds are burning!
It's going to get worse...Heller is losing clients based on inefficencies and greed (why should a client pay $800/hr to a partner for something an associate or even legal assistant could do, and probably did?)
LMAO. Having worked at HE some years ago, and having many friends still there (or layed off)I have a very clear picture of the sad scene that is transpiring. HE was once a class act with nice people treating eachother with respect and dignity. THIS IS LONG GONE. No matter what department you look at in the firm, the shit has floated to the top, attitudes are lousy, and the hard workers are either miserable, or laid off. I know of 4 depts. in particular where there is rampant absenteeism, crappy management (because again, at HE, shit floats and the smarter people are not about to step into the backstabbing 2-faced management roles the company expects of them) and a total disregard for good performance. Were the bad people let go...HELL NO! Let's keep the bad people and crap on the productive lifers that were once proud to be part of HE. HE is certainly living up to my 2 favorite mottos in life:
You get what you pay for.
What comes around, goes around.
Thank gawd I got out when the getting was good, but so sad for those with their heads burried so deep in the sand they think their loyalty means crap to HE.
WAKE UP PEOPLE! This is the TITANIC of current day law firms! Get out before you are chased off the sinking ship by the rats!
Couldn't agree more.