Seyfarth Shaw has laid off about 30 lawyers and staff employees firmwide, according to the firm’s Atlanta managing partner, Paul P. Mattingly. He declined to say which practices were shedding lawyers, but did say the cuts were in practices most affected by the economic downturn. “Since layoffs have become so pervasive, clarifying that they were not for performance reasons, but because of market conditions, seemed like the fair thing to do,” said Mattingly.

Nothing like stepping up to the plate and knocking one out of the park. The partners at Seyfarth Shaw have stood up before their peers and acted like the “professionals” most lawyers aspire to be.

By standing up and saying that these young men and women are being laid off for economic, not performance, reasons, Seyfarth Shaw will aid them down the road. It will also aid the firm’s reputation as our industry and the economy recovers.

Having to lay people off just weeks before the holidays could not have been an easy decision. By doing it well, I just have to top my hat and say, you’re one class act, Seyfarth!