This week, Baker Botts laid off lawyers for economic reasons, says firm spokesman Mike Cinelli, although the Houston-based firm will not disclose numbers or further details. The layoffs, Cinelli says, are an attempt by firm management to have “supply meet demand.” The layoffs are the result of market conditions and the lack of attrition this year, Cinelli says. “It was a difficult decision,” Cinelli says about the layoffs. He stresses that recent law school graduates who were promised associate positions at Baker Botts starting in November will still be hired. “We made that commitment and we felt we had to honor it,” Cinelli says. Last March, Baker Botts laid off lawyers and staff members, also due to a reduced demand for client services. In response to today's Above the Law report that Baker Botts made 2010 associate offers to as few as 50 percent to 55 percent of its 2009 summer associate class, the firm said: “We had a strong class of talented summer associates, and we are in the process of making offers to many to return as full-time associates. We expect to have an impressive incoming class in 2010, although the numbers are likely to be down a bit from our new lawyers starting in November 2009.” In January, Baker Botts had 825 lawyers firmwide, 554 of those in Texas. In May, Baker Botts had 766 lawyers firmwide, 505 of those in Texas. Texas Lawyer reported that in 2008, gross revenue at Baker Botts totaled $613.3 million and profits per partner were $1,365,000.
-- Miriam Rozen
Where is the commitment to the current employees?
Posted by: Charles N. Sharpe, Dallas | August 26, 2009 at 07:57 PM