Reply to Big Law - HR meeting out of the blue

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I'd update your resume and put out some feelers to recruiters, OP.

How were your billables? [/quote]

[b]Low billables.[/b] But the market has been slow for our group in general. [/quote]
I wouldn’t keep riding on the good performance review from last year.

How does your firm normally handle performance issues? Is it multiple warnings/a PIP? Or immediate separation?[/quote]

Law firms aren't like this.  If there isn't enough work to support the associates on staff, they will fire some until there is a better matching of supply/demand.  You can be totally competent, even well liked associate. But if there's not enough work, and the firm predicts the downturn will last, then you still have a high chance of layoff.  Firms took too long in 2008 to react to the sudden downturn, and figured out they needed to be quicker - so now assume they will make firing decisions within 3 months of a slowdown.  They'll do this even if you're a good lawyer - but they'll pick the least busy associate to lay off, because that is just a general indication of how much partners need/like the associate.

If you're a bad associate, you also don't get a warning - they will just let you go with severance.

OP - i would be surprised that they wouldn't give you more of a 3 month runway to come back after leave and get your feet back on the ground. It's very normal to take a while for work to pick back up. And it's not good optics to fire new moms.  But how were your hours before leave?  Had you been cruising a bit and already seen as one of the lesser focused associates?

BUt with all that said, in my 17 years in biglaw, I have never heard of an associate or non-equity partner having a meeting asked for by HR where it wasn't to be let go.  [/quote]

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