Law firms scaling back on holiday celebrations
by Michelle Lore Associate Editor
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Several big firm representatives told Minnesota Lawyer that scaling down their holiday parties seemed appropriate in light of economic conditions.
Dorsey & Whitney, which laid off more than 50 support staff earlier this year and cut associates’ salaries by 10 percent, is having a “low-key,” onsite Friday afternoon event.
None of the Dorsey’s offices are holding offsite parties this year, according to Bob Klieber, the firm’s marketing and communications manager. He said the afternoon event will be similar to last year although it’s a change from several years back when the firm held more elaborate parties.
“It’s a good opportunity to get everyone together and spend a little time and be a little social with the people you work with who you’ve gone through this challenging time with,” said Klieber.
Gray Plant Mooty, which cut staff salaries by 5 percent and associate salaries by 10 percent this year, is also trimming its holiday festivities.
“As are most businesses and law firms, we’re focusing our resources in those areas that will most directly benefit our employees and further our ability to serve, attract and retain clients,” Bakken told Minnesota Lawyer last week.
Briggs and Morgan is cutting back on its event as well. Alan Maclin, the firm’s president, said that the in-house holiday party Briggs plans for this December will “definitely be far more modest” than previous years.
“We are keeping an eye on expenses like everyone else,” Macklin said, adding the firm still felt it was important to have some celebration. “We want to share some holiday spirit and recognize employees with a party and a celebration,” he explained.
Oppenheimer Wolff & Donnelly, which instituted a pay and hiring freeze early this year, traditionally has not had a winter party, and this year will not be an exception. David Potter, the firm’s chair, said Oppenheimer usually has a party in the summer, and donates the money that it would have spent on a holiday party to charity.
Fish & Richardson has not yet decided whether or not it will have a holiday party this year.
The firm’s office manager, Carol Varhalla, said many factors are being considered, including the tough economy and the perception that spending money on a party when some employees have lost their jobs will make attendees uneasy.
“But we still need to keep our own morale up too and not feel too guilty about things beyond our control,” she said. “We are still wrestling with the idea of doing something — something less than what we’ve normally done in the past.”
No change
Some law firms, however, have decided to make it business as usual when it comes to their holiday gatherings.
Lindquist & Vennum, which cut associate salaries this year, is nonetheless proceeding with its holiday festivities in the same manner as it has in the past — with a nice dinner at an offsite venue.
“There’s been some changes this past year, but I think it’s important we continue certain traditions that are part of our culture and this is one of them,” explained the firm’s managing partner, Daryle Uphoff.
Faegre & Benson, which laid off nearly 30 lawyers this year and cut associate salaries, is also moving forward with its holiday party, which firm representatives say has always been a modest event.
“Our firm traditionally has a holiday gathering, in our offices, for a few hours on a Friday afternoon in December,” said Karen Woodward, manager of office services and hospitality. “It’s always been pretty low key — an opportunity for our lawyers and staff to have some social time in an informal setting.”
Meanwhile, Leonard Street and Deinard is actually expanding its holiday party this year. Traditionally the celebration has just been for office staff, but this year it includes attorneys. (The firm has typically thrown a separate spring party for attorneys.) According to the firm’s president, Lowell Stortz, the event will be held onsite, which is a little less expensive and tends to draw better attendance.
Stortz said that one of the firm’s premises this year has been to maintain the “togetherness time” despite the economy’s challenges. “Those are the things you need to protect,” he said.
While the firm has not formally announced cuts to associate pay, Stortz said they are always “at market” and have in fact moved salaries to be in line with other large local firms.
Medium firms, big parties
Many small and mid-sized firms that haven’t been hit as hard by the economic slowdown are forging ahead with their traditional holiday galas.
Cliff Greene of Greene Espel said the firm is proceeding with its annual winter party as it always does. “Same budget, no change,” he said.
Hellmuth & Johnson is looking forward to a big offsite celebration in January. All employees and their spouses are invited to the event, which will be held at Bearpath Golf & Country Club in Eden Prairie. Employees are recognized and prizes are given, according to the firm’s COO, Susan Marsh.
“It’s formal; it’s evening; it’s elegant,” she said. “We’re not scaling back at all.”
Similarly, Merchant & Gould, which cut 30 positions earlier this year, including seven attorneys, is doing the same thing it did last during the holiday season — holding a cocktail party at an offsite venue, according to the firm’s director of human resources, Pam Gerads.
But one mid-sized firm contacted by Minnesota Lawyer is toning things down.
Halleland Lewis Nilan & Johnson, which reportedly cut six jobs earlier this year, including two attorney positions, has typically held a nice offsite holiday party for employees and their significant others.
This year, however, the firm is holding a low-key late afternoon onsite event with food and drinks, according to Jenna Gruen, the firm’s director of marketing. She said that the more modest party this year is due in part to the economy, but that holding it onsite also gives employees’ families an opportunity to check out the firm’s new office space, which it began occupying earlier this month.
