Conde Nasty!

Although it's not Skadden related, we thought we'd mention that New York office neighbor Conde Nast is saying bye-bye to a bunch of its employees -- 5% of each magazine's staff -- as well as instituting an additional 5% cut to each publication's non-payroll budget.

Poor Men's Vogue!

Bonus talk

We heard Executive Partner Bob Sheehan tell us a few weeks ago -- at what was probably the best attended Attorney Lunch in firm history -- that the firm's business is strong and that billable hours are essentially the same compared to the same period last year.

If billable hours are roughly the same as last year, does that mean that bonuses will be about the same too?

Skadden Tower

With Conde Nast looking to move out of Four Times Square as early as 2015, is Skadden going to grab the naming rights (and take more floors)?

We love babies (and their working moms)!

We learned this week that Skadden was named one of the 50 Best Law Firms for Women by Working Mother because of its flexible Return From Maternity program.  According to New York partner Maura Barry Grinalds, Skadden is tops for its standard maternity-related policies and because of its willingness to let her negotiate her own, including an extended maternity leave and "an ever-fluctuating part-time schedule."  (Are extended maternity leaves and "ever-fluctuating" flex-time schedules something all Skadden women can negotiate?)

But if Skadden is so great for women (and particularly women returning from maternity leave) and the firm's work-life policies are so great, then why did the firm fail to crack Vault's Best 20 Law Firms for Diversity or Best 20 Law Firms to Work For?  Yes, Skadden was toward the top of the Law Firm Prestige rankings (#4 again -- congratulations to us!), but what gives with the other (kindler, gentler) categories?  We have a gym, yoga classes and even free flu shots.  On Thursdays we get free lunch.  Every ten years or so there is a big party, sometimes on a famous island.  And then there's the car service! 

So where is the love in the rankings?

Summer of '08

Skadden summer camp is almost over for the year, so we think it's time to share some stories.  Feel free to post your favorite summer memory or story in the comments.  

No names please.

Living beyond your means?

This is an easy one to respond to:

When do first-year associates get promoted to second-year? I want a raise, dammit!

The raise comes in January, although the new first years arrive in September.

If things are a little tight right now, eat a little extra at the Attorney Lunch and take home a doggie bag.

Sign the damn things out, ok?

Is it us or have there been an awful lot of books missing from the New York Office library?

The "MISSING LIBRARY BOOK" e-mails seem to have overtaken the plentiful "Blood Drive" missives as second only to the onslaught of pro bono e-mails.  

Or do the books come in third, with the Yankee/Mets fundraiser e-mails mixed in there?