Good bye lunch expense account

Our last survey tried gauge how the economy is affecting one of the perks of large law firms--the summer associate lunch. It appears the belt-tightening continues at most big firms even though many (at least those with strong litigation practices) assert that their business is healthy. Well, not healthy enough to reinstate last year's summer lunch policy. Seventy-seven percent of our voters say that their firms imposed sever cut backs to their firms summer lunch policy. The rest of the voters were split between (1) new spending limits, or (2) no change at all.

We will have to see if this is an overall change in the culture of recruitment at big law or if it is merely a anomaly formed from caution and fear.

I'd Like a Reply Memo in a Size 8, Please

For those of you who dream of an idyllic world without billables think of private practice's extreme alternatives. Here is one example from the ABA: How Law Practice Will Become Like Off-the-Rack Suits. Read the complete article at:http://www.abajournal.com/news/how_law_practice_will_become_like_off-the-rack_suits/

The Fall of the Billable Hour Paradigm?

You have voted on the future of the billable hour: most of you want to do away with the billable hour by focussing on alternatives (62%); many of you continue believe in the utility of the billable hour and want the profession to stick with it (25%); and only a small minority despise the billable hour enough to want to "kill it" (12%).

Don't forget to vote on our new survey on the right side of the screen -- has your firm's summer lunch policy changed?

Mentoring Back on the Agenda

Rumor has it that the NYCLA Task Force on Professionalism is in the early stages of developing a mentoring program. The Task Force's efforts have identified a serious need for mentoring to advance professionalism and satisfaction among lawyers. We will keep you updated as we receive more information.

My Least Favorite Topic: Layoffs

Below are links to two compelling articles that discuss very different aspects of the effects of the waves of lay-offs that we have been experiencing in our industry.



The first discusses lawyers (mostly young lawyers) who are "adrift" and "lost." In "Laid-off Lawyer's Find Themselves Adrift" from the National Law Journal, Leigh Jones highlights young, high-achievers who lost self esteem, hope, and direction after being laid-off at: http://www.law.com/jsp/nlj/PubArticleNLJ.jsp?id=1202428827679. The article ends in optimism and I hope anyone affected by these lay-offs is able to pull up their socks and find something new and better. NYCLA and other local bar associations are making special efforts to assist people who are laid-off. Those are the first places I would look into; they provide great resources.



The second article, from the ABA Journal, entitled "Layoff ‘Herd Mentality’ Ignores Greater Savings of Pay Cuts, Prof Says" discusses how firms may have other options to stabilize their finances instead of lay-offs, but are not exploring those and instead are opting for what everyone else is doing. Hopefully, firms are not finding that lay-offs are easy fix of their balance because it has become an acceptable consequence of the recession. Read the complete article at:http://www.abajournal.com/news/layoff_herd_mentality_ignores_greater_savings_of_pay_cuts_prof_says/