Kirkland & Ellis Lays off More than 20 Associates in New York

[WSJ_law_blog]

This just in: Kirkland & Ellis earlier today laid off more than 20 associates in its New York office, according to a person familiar with the matter. Associate layoffs also hit the firm’s Washington, D.C. office.

The layoffs came at the end of the firm’s annual associate-review process. Associates deemed to have not been on track to make either equity partner or non-equity partner were asked to leave, the person familiar with the matter said. The numbers of associates asked to leave were higher than last year’s, partly due to the economy and partly due to a lack of attrition experienced by the firm throughout the year.

Kirkland is one of a handful of firms that has weathered the downturn in the economy without making dramatic salary cuts or deferring start-dates. The firm hasn’t instituted layoffs since this time last year. The firm recently made several dozen associates non-equity partners, and gave offers to a significant majority of this year’s summer-associate class.