Jenkens Scoop

Originally posted by guest
Expect people to leave right after the first of the year then.

Some of this might explain the section in the Amlaw associate survey where the associates gave the following marks and comments about J&G:

The partners and firm management:
• Opportunities to work with partners: 4.88 (40)
• Opportunities to socialize with partners: 3.81 (81)
• Likelihood of having a mentor: 4.38 (42)
• Confidence in firm leadership: 2.94 (154)
How associates describe their firm: Large firm that strives for more relaxed midsize atmosphere.
What they'd like to tell the managing partner: More truthful, realistic information needed. You reap what you sow.

Scores are based on a 1-to-5 scale, with 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest; rank is based on 159 firms.


Anything stated by chair get it writting! get it signed! and still don't believe it, because very few believe the managment of this firm.

Originally posted by greedy
On other board there is rumor that shareholders have been warned about another piece of bad press. My source says American lawyer is doing a piece on the shrinking number of partners. One who is there indicated that in the event that if no change in firm leadership at both chair and board members occurs, that there have been several who have indicated openly that they will be leaving.

Although mostly about the tax matters:

"Durbin also defends Jenkens' financial performance. According to the 2003 Am Law 100 survey, the firm lost 69 lawyers, and revenue dropped 5 percent from the previous year. Since those numbers were compiled, dozens more lawyers have left. Those who were interviewed say their move wasn't a result of the controversy surrounding Daugerdas, but a barrage of headlines, civil suits and government investigations isn't much of a selling point, to either clients or potential laterals. Durbin says the reduction in firm size is part of a strategic plan, and the firm's revenue and profits are exceeding projections.

Those declining numbers, along with the litigation and government investigations, have prompted much speculation about the survival of the firm among former Jenkens partners and observers of the Dallas legal scene. That speculation is likely to intensify when word gets out that its malpractice insurance carrier, Executive Risk Indemnity Inc., brought a declaratory judgment action against the firm in federal court in Illinois at the end of September. The insurer claims that it's not liable for any damages arising from the firm's tax shelter work."

http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1069170446899

The 2004 survey will in all probability show an even greater percentage decline in lawyers. Health law is gone nationwide, land use is gone nationwide, toxic torts gone, IP in Dallas almost gone.

[TJ!]

So what's the deal at J&G with the Durbin being re-elected?
Are people pissed? Because a couple months ago, associates and partners were calling for his head, and there was word that Durbin promised not to run again. Are people not angry about this?

Also, why is the other board eerily silent on the re-election? Has J&G put the smack-down on infirmation posters?

Originally posted by TJ!
So what's the deal at J&G with the Durbin being re-elected?
Are people pissed? Because a couple months ago, associates and partners were calling for his head, and there was word that Durbin promised not to run again. Are people not angry about this?

Also, why is the other board eerily silent on the re-election? Has J&G put the smack-down on infirmation posters?

J&G has in the past had people who monitor internet usage.

[TJ!]

So why the sudden silence when compared to a couple months ago? Did Jenkens PowersThatBe let it be known that they were now monitoring the boards thus associates suddenly are quiet?

Plea to Jenksters: Post from home if you must, but do give us the scoop!

Originally posted by TJ!
So why the sudden silence when compared to a couple months ago? Did Jenkens PowersThatBe let it be known that they were now monitoring the boards thus associates suddenly are quiet?

Plea to Jenksters: Post from home if you must, but do give us the scoop!

No, I don't know of any reason to believe they are monitoring internet usage now. And the only past monitoring that I know of involved people accessing porn sites at work, which is not really the same as having people watch who was logging on to Infirmation.

There is no particular news to report from inside that hasn't been mentioned already either here or on the other board. Guess we'll wait and see if people start jumping ship in January.

Originally posted by Regional Anon
No, I don't know of any reason to believe they are monitoring internet usage now. And the only past monitoring that I know of involved people accessing porn sites at work, which is not really the same as having people watch who was logging on to Infirmation.

Actually from one who was there and saw the logs, they monitored for far more than porn sites. The story I have heard is that in the past, above monitoring emails, private dectives have been hired (although the ones hired worked like the keystone kops) to check on partners the current management wanted out. Emails may also have been monitored.

Look this is the same bull that happens in all shops.
Right now everybody is jusyt banging away that whatever they have on their plates - watching out for their butts.

Thats the way this business of law is - you just have to play the game, make sure you don't end up working with a backstabber and always cover you behind..

Any partner can go and take his book to whatever shop he wants to - if he's an a__hole he'll end up in an a__hole shop - if he's a party animal that's where he end up...

Grow up already - thisis not the end of the firm or the world. If you don't like what you inr - there's always the door..
All I see here is a bunch of 25-35 y.o.'s playing telephone - "who said what" and "did you hear this and that".
.
Rule is play the game now you have your JD =- keep your ears to the ground, cover your ass and watch you back (oh, you could add "trust no one")

now stop bitchin

[TJ!]

What a ridiculous use of Anonymous log in. No possible outing info in that post, other than the possibility that such cowardliness in hiding behind anon for a flame makes it even more likely that you are a JG partner.

<<All I see here is a bunch of 25-35 y.o.'s playing telephone - "who said what" and "did you hear this and that".>>

Welcome to the new way of "playing the game." And "playing telephone" has often been the only source of true info when partners play another little game known as "hiding the ball" and "lying about your future career." Playing telephone has previously produced the only warning bells when a firm is full of BS and about to collapse.

Originally posted by Regional Anon
Look this is the same bull that happens in all shops.
Right now everybody is jusyt banging away that whatever they have on their plates - watching out for their butts.

Thats the way this business of law is - you just have to play the game, make sure you don't end up working with a backstabber and always cover you behind..

Any partner can go and take his book to whatever shop he wants to - if he's an a__hole he'll end up in an a__hole shop - if he's a party animal that's where he end up...

Grow up already - thisis not the end of the firm or the world. If you don't like what you inr - there's always the door..
All I see here is a bunch of 25-35 y.o.'s playing telephone - "who said what" and "did you hear this and that".
.
Rule is play the game now you have your JD =- keep your ears to the ground, cover your ass and watch you back (oh, you could add "trust no one")

now stop bitchin

So in other words, you admit that you are with a firm where the partners are allowed to be a__holes or backstabbers or both and you think this is fine. You think spying ot hiring people to spy is fine. Well I guess we should all ge back to work and stop bitchin- oh please mastah don't beat me no more- I guess from this post you should understand why the associates (and some partners) at your firm feel no loyalty to it. You should grow up and realize you and your ilk are screwing with peoples lives and you will be a bitter man (or woman) - but you also are a coward for using the anonymous login for your post.

[Freakin' NA]

Yeah is this the RAnon that made that post.. and this is my rant and rave – so piss off!

Like I said, stop the whining and crying - this NA has been laid off right before the holidays, stabbed in the back by "more holier than thou Associates" like yourselves more times that I can count, been booted out of job because I had the cojones to stand up to some moron who swore he was God because he was the Managing Attorney, and laid off because some partner wanted a client’s son (who failed the bar 4 times) to work in a legal environment.

So what did I do? I just got off my fat butt and got another gig - having a family to maintain, I didn't have the luxury to whine.. I had to put food on the table and pay for the roof over our head. No I am not angry nor am I a wanna be lawyer - I'm just giving you a look from the other side

You each know that NONE of you would give a rat's a__ of your co-worker got laid off - especially if it was a secretary or some kid in the mailroom - and if was a paralegal, you'd be jumping for joy cause that would mean that you'd have more billables.

Yeah – I am an insider – but not the type of insider you thought. You JD’s are so full of yourselves thinking that you are the only ones reading these boards. OK I do feel sorry for those that have school loans - but what did you think this business was - "LA Law" or "The Practice" ?

Having been in this business for over 15 yrs I’ve seen brown noses and backstabbers move up the ranks and Ivy League whiners get stepped on like a roaches in NY – partners whose loyality was based the comp points and nice esq's who deserved it get shafted. And this was at a Top AmLaw 100 firm

As for the spying comment from Guest – welcome to the real world!.
I’ve had the pleasure of working with more backstabbing associates that I could have only wished that the admin would have been spying and proven my case – but being an NA I'm told but no “he’s a lawyer and licensed professional that would not risk his career by making such an outrageous statement – BIG freakin BULL – you know it.

As for Durbin - did you really think he was going to give up the glory of the power? - He'd have to retire with nothing else to do.
Sharesholders voted him in and now they have to live with it - they knew what the deal was, after all aren't they professionals, as you all are and that many of you want to be like?

If it was a career ending screw up – none of you would admit to it and would let the next person on the pole you crap on below take the blame would it be a para or a secretary.

So grow up and realize that loyality goes as far as your paycheck – and next time some NA does cover your butt – thank them.

After all the, the only reason that I'm still in this "honorable legal profession" is the bottom line - my paycheck - screw loyality and I am quite happy knowing that when a firm get too full of it - I can always walk away at my pleasure.

So I'm not giving up on this burning ship yet - but I do have my life jacket on and know where the exits are

Originally posted by Freakin' NA
You each know that NONE of you would give a rat's a__ of your co-worker got laid off - especially if it was a secretary or some kid in the mailroom - and if was a paralegal, you'd be jumping for joy cause that would mean that you'd have more billables.

Speak for yourself. Not everyone in this industry is a backstabbing weasel - perhaps you've just surrounded yourself with the wrong people. If you're satisfied working for assholes for the pay, then lay in the bed you made and stop bitching. If you're not satisfied, then you need to figure out what you want and do something about it. Unfortunately, people in the legal profession tend to forget that life is about a whole lot more than the money.

-TL

p.s. You can say "ass" here - this isn't that other board.

Originally posted by Freakin' NA

As for the spying comment from Guest – welcome to the real world!.
I’ve had the pleasure of working with more backstabbing associates that I could have only wished that the admin would have been spying and proven my case – but being an NA I'm told but no “he’s a lawyer and licensed professional that would not risk his career by making such an outrageous statement – BIG freakin BULL – you know it.

I am sorry the concept of a firm having emails monitored and/or private investigators, strikes me that the firm managment is way too paranoid and is out of control. Or in "the whole truth" way too thin skinned. Also when something is way too outrageous, it quite often gets "called out" and eventually someone will have to put up or shut up.

Originally posted by greedy
Although mostly about the tax matters:

"Durbin also defends Jenkens' financial performance. According to the 2003 Am Law 100 survey, the firm lost 69 lawyers, and revenue dropped 5 percent from the previous year. Since those numbers were compiled, dozens more lawyers have left. Those who were interviewed say their move wasn't a result of the controversy surrounding Daugerdas, but a barrage of headlines, civil suits and government investigations isn't much of a selling point, to either clients or potential laterals. Durbin says the reduction in firm size is part of a strategic plan, and the firm's revenue and profits are exceeding projections.

Those declining numbers, along with the litigation and government investigations, have prompted much speculation about the survival of the firm among former Jenkens partners and observers of the Dallas legal scene. That speculation is likely to intensify when word gets out that its malpractice insurance carrier, Executive Risk Indemnity Inc., brought a declaratory judgment action against the firm in federal court in Illinois at the end of September. The insurer claims that it's not liable for any damages arising from the firm's tax shelter work."

http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1069170446899

The 2004 survey will in all probability show an even greater percentage decline in lawyers. Health law is gone nationwide, land use is gone nationwide, toxic torts gone, IP in Dallas almost gone.

Even with election this past week of new board members (including the tax partner who ran against Durbin) the smart money betting is that several partners will vote with their feet some time in early 2004.

It was announced that the executive director of J&G over the New Year break is leaving "to spend more time with his family" and to write a book.