Thelen Dissolving
Our spies tell us that Thelen, LLP's partners have been in a long meeting today to consider a recommendation from the firm's management that the firm dissolve and shut down operations by December 2008. The vote will remain open for some time, but it is expected that the partners will vote in favor of the dissolution. The firm was founded in 1924, and grew to more than 600 attorneys, before shrinking to its current number of approximately 400 lawyers. Thelen has an extensive employment defense practice, and one of our favorite cases was opposed by Thelen.
[Update: Law.com confirms it.]
[Update #2: Thelen confirms it.]
As wage & hour class action lawyers, we were drawn to this part of the press release:
Although not necessarily required, Thelen is seeking to pay its employees 60 days salary under federal and state WARN Acts. The firm is also seeking to pay all accrued vacation pay. The response to date from the bank is that it will fund employee salary through Nov. 30, but will not pay accrued vacation pay. Both of these issues are still under discussion.
There you have it - your daily dose of irony.
To all those associates in Thelen's wage and hour defense practice, I have a bitch to introduce you to. Her name is Karma.
Posted by: | October 28, 2008 at 03:38 PM
They think they are above the law? They don't necessarily have to give WARN notices or pay vacation pay?
Posted by: TJ | October 28, 2008 at 04:16 PM
I think they might raise the faltering business defense.
Posted by: | October 29, 2008 at 02:27 PM