Law firm cost cutting in 2009 

Posted: 1:00 am Mon, July 20, 2009
By Minnesota Lawyer

July 2009

• Lindquist & Vennum, effective July 1, pared back associate compensation by 10 percent. Additionally, the firm delayed the starting date of its incoming class of new associates to January 2010.

June 2009

• Fredrickson & Byron cut first- through third-year associates’ pay cut by 10 percent; fourth- and fifth-year associates’ pay was reduced by 8 percent; sixth- and seventh-year associates’ pay was cut by 5 percent.
• Gray Plant Mooty cut associates’ pay by 10 percent. Earlier in the year, the firm had cut staff salaries by 5 percent. Additionally, hourly employees lost some hours and are subject to furloughs.
• Dorsey & Whitney let go of 55 support staff, 38 of whom were employed in the Minneapolis office. Additionally, salaries for nonpartner lawyers were cut by 10 percent across the board; bonuses were restored for lawyers in busy practice areas.

April 2009

• Dorsey & Whitney delays the start date of its incoming class of associates to Nov. 30, two months later than the traditional Oct. 1 start date. The class of 42 new associates had not been previously given a firm start date. Thirty of those associates will work in the Minneapolis office. The firm previously had instituted a salary freeze.

March 2009

• Dunlap and Seeger laid off two lawyers, three staff

February 2009

• Oppenheimer Wolff & Donnelly announced a pay freeze, deferred the start date of new associates and suspended 401K matching.
• Faegre & Benson laid off 29 attorneys.
• Merchant & Gould cut seven lawyers, two patent agents, one paraprofessional and 23 staff
• Halleland Lewis Nilan & Johnson laid off two lawyers, four staff
• Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand eliminated five administrative positions