Cadwalader Fires 96 Lawyers

ATL reports that Cadwalader will terminate as many as 100 attorneys, ranging from special counsel all the way down to the current first-year associate class. As one of the posters so astutely observed:

"Some new and exotic words about to enter the vocabulary of former CWT'ers: Spherion; Lexolution; Update Legal; and Elaine P. Dine. Some others: default; foreclosure; re-possess; and margin call."

Welcome to hell.

Thuggish Miserly Law Firm Partners

Well, it happened again. Apparently, one of my fellow bloggers became a victim of a witch-hunt and was silenced after she criticized the poor working conditions and pathetic pay at several Boston area law firms:

"The time has come to say goodbye to Wicked Words. I wish it was under more fortuitous circumstances, but it is not.

First of all, I made a large error in not starting a new blog when I decided to transition to a commentary on how difficult it can be for entry-level attorneys While I knew how nasty lawyers could be and the threats they can make when challenged, some excellent replies from attorneys and practitioners gave me false hope that the blog could be a sounding board for young attorneys and more seasoned veterans to brainstorm and bounce ideas off of one another. The dialogue could be contentious; I don't mind criticism, even harsh critique, and I have posted it here and responded to it, choosing not to moderate comments here.

And I am no coward. While I decided not to post my full name here, people knew who I am and continue to know who I am. Wicked Words was the name of my opinions column in college. The fact that I was semi-forthright about my identity was in order to ward off assertions that I was attacking without giving others a proper opportunity to attribute and critique.

Obviously the name of my newest feature, exposing firms who pay first year associates next to nothing for their work, has struck a nerve. And it should. I still believe, deep in my heart, that if you pay people the equivalent of a cafeteria worker's salary, people whom you know are saddled in a large amount of student debt, it is unconscionable, despite the level of "real" legal experience. Do entry-level employees have to start somewhere? Absolutely. But should the mass deflation of white collar wages be discussed with merely a whimper? I don't believe it should.

Let me make one thing clear, I'm not scared off by threats that have been made to report me to the bar for my writings or charges of libel. Those claims are silly, frivolous, and false, and a partner in a law firm should realize that making these threats in print with one's name attached, can be just as damaging to one's own reputation if exposed.

Today, an established, well-educated attorney spent a grand total of five hours of his day reading this blog and making concerted efforts to "out" me, threatening my economic livelihood and to "track" me for years to come. It is solely because of this blog's history, and my mentions of personal details, friends, and family, that I have decided to end my time writing here. It is simply not fair for them to be the subjects of any targeting that might follow from any efforts to drag my name through the mud.

So, for now, the big guys may have "won," but I will continue my fight elsewhere, at another time, and most likely in a completely different media. I sincerely hope that the attorney who has decided to "cyber stalk" me and make the aforementioned threats decides against retaliation for any offenses he believes I have committed.

I write this post because I feel as though I owe my longtime readers an explanation, but this entire blog will be taken down within a few days' time as well as any email addresses associated with it. If you wish to contact me for the last time, you may write me in the moderated comments (I will not publish any names or email addresses and will merely reject the comment) and I will make every effort to keep in touch if I can."

http://wickedwords.blogspot.com/

Guy In Gorilla Suit

"The problem is that everyone sooner or later gets tired of the temp life, which entails no benefits or stability and a constant struggle to maintain and a good attitude in an often disorganized, chaotic working environment. Even reliable temps sometimes crack after they've taken too much abuse. As someone else coined the term, 'going codal'.

People that get in arguments with recruiters, cause disturbances at the workplace or walk off the job get blacklisted.

Sometimes it's advantageous to be on an agency's shitlist. As long as you know the cause and effect, it's okay. It's better to walk off the job while working in the Lexolution Chicken Coop or De Novo Sweatshop than endure the soul crushing malaise that infects these projects and the sub-human treatment by the firms and agencies."

As we have observed in the past, "going codal" is not as rare as you would think. In the past, we have chronicled the lady that had to be carried out of a project kicking and screaming. Also, who can forget the infamous female coder that flipped out and smeared her feces all over a bathroom wall? As the law school crooks continue to jack up tuitions and the sweatshop overseers continue to cram people into their chicken coops, I expect such "going codal" episodes to become all the more common. Just this morning, someone pointed out to me that an anonymous poster under the name of "Guy In Gorilla Suit" had hauled himself up in his apartment and people were trying to coax him out:

"I have been drinking heavily since last Wednesday, and refusing to talk to people, including friends and family. I have not shaved for 5 days. My apartment looks like a nuclear war zone. I might lose my job - I don't know what is going to happen, since I am not picking up any phone calls.

On top of it all, some fucker slashed both of my tires on the passenger side. I cannot put a spare on, because he slashed two tires. I can't get to work, and I am refusing to call in. I am thinking about killingself. My loan statement came in, and I owe $652 a month for 30 years. I just won't pay it. Fuck them.

I haven't had much to eat since I started my bender 5 days ago. I am seriously scaring my neighbors. They are offering to help me, but I told them all to go fuck themselves."

http://jdunderground.com/thread.php?threadId=18497

Fashion Advice From Update Legal

"Sullivan & Cromwell's dress code is business casual, SEVEN days a week; there are NO exceptions for weekends or holidays. Please note that the following attire is NOT PERMITTED: denim, sneakers, leggings, track suits, tee shirts, or other such weekend casual wear. We ask that you exercise discretion and reasonable judgment when choosing business casual attire. Whether dressed in traditional business attire or business casual, you should appear neat and professional at all times."

Those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. Shouldn't the Update recruiters put away their slutty stockings and ugly stilettos before dishing out their own fashion mandates?

The Skadden "Yahoo" Tyrant

"Tom---your website has served and shed light on the deporable and inhumane treatment some law firms and their agents give contract attorneys. In that spirit, let it be known that there is an awful staff attorney running the Yahoo matter at Skadden. Attorneys, please be aware that if you do go to work at Skadden you will be exposed to a tyrant and someone who has no respect nor regards for the dignity of others.

According to sources there, the environment he has created is one of fear and mistrust. He has dismissed scores of reviewers and people are just very afraid to come to work.

So, in the spirit of preemption, warn others not to come and work with this individual and to risk being blacklisted in this difficult economy."

Sullivan & Cromwell - Just Like Working In A Sewer

"Tom,

Last weekend the bathrooms overflowed at Sullivan & Cromwell in the basement, level C1. Someone reported it but nobody paid attention. The smell was just like it is in an open sewer.

It will be nice to write a story about the horrors at that place, but most importantly to warn people of all the issues in there: basement offices without windows; a true monitoring system with the id card everywhere you move; moody and despotic case managers; very long hours and bait and switch games with the hours; lifers (people who have been at SC forever and resent newcomers); the cafeteria food; the beautiful plaza outside and the seaport....a mix bag of things."

Dizzy Spells And Spinning Rooms

One of the greatest fears of being an independent contractor is the fear of coming down with an unforeseen injury or illness. With my shit agency "health" plan offering a paltry $7,500 annual maximum benefit allotment ($1,500 annual limit for the surgeon/$250 limit for the anesthesiologist/and $250 daily limit for hospital room and board) getting sick is impossible. I, like many of those around me, undoubtedly cloak themselves under a "it won't happen to me" umbrella of denial. As luck would have it, last weekend the wind came up and tore off my umbrella.

Spherion Temp Agency - Pure Evil

Greed so boundless, it leaves me speechless. The stunt that this bloodsucking temp agency pulled was even too much for the Bush administration:

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080705/benefit_battles.html

Independence Day

What better way to celebrate America's independence from the British than by spending it in a windowless cubicle:

"Kasowitz is great!‏ If you enjoy working thru the 4th of July weekend. Woo-hoo!"

Speaking of the British,

"I hope this is a fucking joke. Craigslist NYC post below - It's an opportunity to work in one of the most expensive cities in the world earning less than 12 British pounds per hour.

First of all, I'm not sure why you'd get paid in Euros while working in the UK, which still uses the British Pound Sterling. Assuming that this is accurate, when the higher standard of living is factored in, your pay rate is ridiculously low. A Big Mac in the UK is roughly 2 British pounds, while in US dollars, it's roughly 3 bucks. Figure that your pay rate, based on your purchasing power, is no more than $18/hour.

Boo this man!

http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/lgl/740143233.html

'Anyone have a place to crash in London? Temp Attorneys needed!

US barred temp attorneys needed for a 2-3 month project in LONDON- MUST be able to provide own accommodations!'


Compensation: 15.00 EUROS/hr"

"Satan" John's Law School

Bankrupt, unemployed, and homeless. That was the outcome for me after graduating from St. John’s. I graduated ranked in the middle of my class, just above the median. I passed the July bar exam and was subsequently admitted to the New York State bar. But for years I applied for work at every level - from custodian to store cashier to legal secretary to attorney - and found that my St. John’s degree made me as employable as an ex-felon. I was overqualified for most non-legal work, but considered under-qualified to be hired as an attorney. As a new graduate, I had neither the financial resources nor the expertise to establish my own practice; I could not afford the cost of blueback paper much less the cost of malpractice insurance. Unemployed for years and having incurred hundreds of thousands of dollars in student loan debt, I found myself basically bankrupt and homeless. Under these circumstances, the only unexplored avenue was applying for public assistance i.e. food stamps, “workfare” cash payments, housing vouchers, Medicaid. Before law school, I had a clerical job that was uninspiring but paid $60,000 in annual salary with excellent benefits. Obviously, I strongly recommend against going to St. John’s under any circumstance. For the overwhelming majority of students, St. John’s will take your money and throw you underneath the bus. To those who do not believe they can fall as far as I did, read on:

http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/students/index.php/topic,4011992.msg5131346.html#msg5131346