Troutman Sanders is still prepping for its merger with Pepper Hamilton. The combination was originally scheduled to be completed by April 1, but due to the coronavirus, that was postponed to July 1. But even with a merger to prepare for, the pandemic sweeping the globe is continuing to put pressure on businesses — law firms being no exception — that require austerity measures to keep cash flowing.
Tipsters report that austerity has been on the table at the firm, with folks taking leaves of absence. When reached for comment, the firm confirmed that the leaves were voluntary with staffers across all offices asked if they wanted to participate in the program:
Effective May 1, Troutman Sanders will implement a voluntary temporary leave of absence program for professional staff, across all offices. Participating employees will receive a weekly stipend plus paid health insurance premiums. We greatly appreciate the continued resilience and commitment of Troutman Sanders staff to the firm and to our clients during these tumultuous times. The voluntary leaves are expected to be three months, however Troutman Sanders plans to call people back earlier if circumstances allow.
For its part, Troutman’s soon-to-be merger partner Pepper Hamilton has already slashed associate salaries by 20 percent.
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Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, and host of The Jabot podcast. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1).