Desperate times call for desperate measures

Apropos of Brian’s prescient post earlier this week regarding the demise of Heller Ehrman, the exodus of partners and the reform of client conflict rules:

·         The National Law Journal reports that at the upcoming ABA meeting in Boston next month, the ABA House of Delegates will consider proposals to modify its conflict of interest rules:

“In a sign that lateral movement has become a matter of course among attorneys in private practice, the American Bar Association will consider competing amendments to its ethics rules governing firm-to-firm movement and conflicts of interest.”

·         Evidence of the timeliness of these recommendations: According to The American Lawyer’s new Lateral Report, a ”record number of Am Law 100 and 200 partners changed firms last year,” with more than 2,500 partners having “moved in or out of the big firms in the year ending September 30.”

Also in the news—a few strategies for handling these hard times:

·         UK firms band together to help stave off layoffs

·         Strapped for cash, some firms turn to partners rather than banks

·         Save the support staff—toss the lawyers overboard

- posted by vera