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Thanks to COVID-19, no one in the legal profession seems to be immune from layoffs. To that end, if you left a law firm to go in-house because you thought the grass would be greener, the novel coronavirus is here to let you know you were very, very wrong.
You may recall that Technologies Inc. has been on a layoff spree, eliminating thousands of jobs — about 6,700, to be exact — over the course of just a few weeks. Among those who lost their jobs were members of the company’s in-house legal team. According to Corporate Counsel, earlier this week, at least people who worked in the legal department received their ride-hailing walking papers.
“I’m deeply sorry we’re facing these unprecedented circumstances that have required us to make some very hard, very tough decisions,” Chief Legal Officer Tony West said in an email to his team Monday. “Yet those decisions don’t diminish the important contributions our former teammates have made to building Uber, and I know the talent, skill, grit and optimism that made them valued members of Team CLO are qualities that will always be in demand—global pandemic or not.”
Not all members of Uber’s legal team were thrilled with West’s words. “I received a generic email and was only given a quick 15 min conversation without a chance to ask questions,” former product counsel Karen Kopel wrote on LinkedIn about the way she was let go. “My manager did not reach out to me to say goodbye or thank me. No reasoning was offered. I feel like someone gut punched me.”
Best of luck to those who lost their livelihoods during a pandemic.
If your firm or organization is slashing salaries, closing its doors, or reducing the ranks of its lawyers or staff, whether through open layoffs, stealth layoffs, or voluntary buyouts, please don’t hesitate to let us know. Our vast network of tipsters is part of what makes Above the Law thrive. You can email us or text us (646-820-8477).
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Staci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.