DLA Piper
Author: Mark Goddard
14 Dec 2009 | 00:13
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Overview
The legal juggernaut that is DLA Piper continues to plough ahead, having transformed itself with surprising speed from an obscure collection of regional UK practices into a potential global challenger. Though the firm attracts plenty of sniping from rivals, privately most would concede that DLA has been extremely successful at executing its ambitions, becoming in 2007 the UK's fifth-largest law firm (without counting its US practice). Indeed, the firm is arguably the most upwardly-mobile UK practice of the last 20 years, with the inevitable exception of Clifford Chance.
The hallmark of DLA under long-time UK head Nigel Knowles has been drive, execution, ambition and a big dollop of flash - a heady cocktail executed by some energetic and commercially-minded lawyers. Having made a career of ignoring what its many doubters predicted, the firm swiftly shrugged off a turbulent period in the mid-1990s to make one of the most successful assaults yet seen from a regional practice on the City. The late 1990s and early years of the new millennium would bring the launch of international alliances, furious expansion, high-profile rebrands and, finally, a massive transatlantic merger. At the start of 2009, Knowles' status as one of the UK profession's leading figures was underlined by the decision to award him a knighthood, an accolade that in times past was reserved for former presidents of the Law Society.
However, plenty of questions remain around the firm, including how its loosely-integrated US mergers will actually take the firm forward. Can it keep growing so quickly? And can it keep moving upmarket, given its notoriously tight equity partnership? Perhaps more pressing is that a firm built on robust growth is facing a period of tough trading as the recession weighs down on commercial law firms. As such DLA Piper has already gone through a series of substantial job cuts, both in the UK and US, and while many peer firms have made similar cuts, the firm is felt by some to have handled the process poorly. There will be much attention now on if DLA Piper can quickly regain its assured handling of recent years.
History
"DLA Piper's origins lie in Yorkshire," recalls one contributor, whose memory clearly stretches all the way back into the 1990s - before Dibb Lupton Alsop was just an acronym in the branding of a sprawling transatlantic monster. "Sheffield to be precise." From tiny acorns and all that...
Having been forged by a series of mergers from the legacy Alsop Stevens, Wilkinson Kimbers, Dibb Lupton and Broomhead, the firm created one of the first 'national' legal practices, under the name Dibb Lupton Alsop. Particularly significant was the tie-up with Alsop Wilkinson, a respected London firm with a solid banking practice, which handed the then-Dibb Lupton Broomhead a coveted presence in the City. The well-executed union was to provide a bedrock for Dibbs, as it was known, to build upon in the City, slowly morphing the firm from its roots as a no-nonsense northern litigation outfit into credible mid-market commercial player.
Also significant was the 1996 appointment of Nigel Knowles as the firm's managing partner, taking over from the high-profile Paul Rhodes. Despite facing internal wrangling and partner departures at the time of his appointment, Knowles was to become one of the longest-serving and most successful law firm leaders. Early evidence of that ambition was seen in 1998, when Dibbs announced a plan to be "top 10 in the City, predominant in the regions and with a credible practice in Europe" within three years. In 1999 the firm launched its European and Asian alliance under the brand DLA & Partners, pulling together a network of firms. The firm grew swiftly over the following years, rebranding itself as DLA in 2001 and turning its alliance into its own network through mergers and a series of local launches.
The really big deal came in 2005, when DLA merged with two US firms - top 50 US practice Piper Rudnick and Californian firm Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich. Though the merged practice remains financially split into two profit centres - a state that has led some rivals to claim that they are little more than formal allies - the deal appears to have been successful. The combined revenue of DLA now makes it the third-largest legal practice in the world, with more than 60 offices globally and around 3,400 lawyers as of 2007.
US adventures aside, DLA has lost none of its drive in Europe, in 2004 securing an 11-partner TMT team from Denton Wilde Sapte, one of the largest team hires ever seen in the City. The same year the firm also acquired Squire Sanders & Dempsey's respected 25-lawyer Spanish arm.
Recent years have seen the firm maintain its robust growth rate, with European and Asian revenues rising to £536.4m in 2007. Average partners profits for the few lucky enough to make equity currently stand at £728,000.
However, in 2008 DLA felt the effects of the post-crunch market downturn, with the firm forced to enter a consultation on a number of possible redundancies in its London office. February 2009 saw the firm launch its second redundancy consultation in just three months with up to 140 jobs under threat, with 80 associates also laid off in the US and 54 jobs cut in Asia.
News, deals and comment on DLA Piper
Culture
"Though the firm has expanded rapidly on an international basis, it should not be forgotten that the firm's UK culture is more akin to an Addleshaws/Pinsents than a Clifford Chance," says one DLA Piper contributor, who has evidently not forgotten that the firm was lowly Dibb Lipton Alsop not so very long ago. "Many of the firm's employees are down-to-earth and sociable (even in the corporate department!) rather than the more driven types that work for the magic circle or New York firms based in London. This may change as the firm's future fee earners and trainees may be more attracted to the translantic profile and increasingly high-profile work rather than the regional offices that cater for the respective local market."
He continues: "The firm's eight UK offices make DLA Piper unique in that the type of people employed differ in the respective offices. For example, the people that do well in the Leeds office are those that have local contacts and are committed to the local market. In London, the atmosphere is less collegial, given that there are over 300 lawyers. Further, the London office is increasingly populated with Aussi/Saffa types that you would not find in the Liverpool office!"
Another points to a lack of cohesion that you might say is inevitable in a sprawling enterprise that has grown so quickly. "DLA Piper Rudnick doesn't appear to be much of a merger," says 'Grinder'. "They (openly) report different profit centres, which hardly goes to 'one firm' and is more like 'many franchise-holders'. On a very painful deal I worked on recently, the annoying banking lawyer at DLA London did things totally his own way, unlike his colleagues in NY and Germany. The reason for not following his American and German colleagues? 'They actually belong to a different firm.' Brilliant stuff."
What is clear is that DLA Piper's UK redundancies have taken a toll on the firm's morale. This was underlined when leaked minutes of an internal meeting contained criticism of the severance terms the firm was offering redundant staff. Likewise, Legal Week Intelligence's 2009 Employee Satisfaction Report, which contained responses from 160 UK assistants at the firm, found some staff felt undervalued and general unhappiness over the handling of job losses. The firm, which has built a reputation for fostering a can-do, energetic approach among staff, will want to put this episode firmly behind it.
Key departments
"The key departments are banking, corporate and real estate," says one contributor, reflecting a model that has served the expansionist national firm well in the last decade.
Very much a full service practice, DLA has been particularly effective in banking in recent years, where the firm has built a highly-efficient acquisition finance practice. As you would expect, property is a sizeable team. Commercial has also been an area of focus, as demonstrated by its audacious 2005 recruitment of a large TMT team from Dentons. This focus was also shown in its headline role alongside Allen & Overy on the NHS's ground-breaking but highly controversial national programme for IT. Outsourcing is another strength.
Rivals would say the firm's corporate practice still fails to live up to the shiny DLA hype.
National/international coverage
Even in an era when any firm with a postal address in Tashkent claims to be a global player, there is little doubting the reach of the DLA Piper tentacles.
"Though the number of DLA Piper offices has increased the firm's public profile, there are doubts as to whether the expansion will work in the long term," argues one contributor. "The problem is that DLA Piper's transactional/litigation services is still mainly located in the low mid-market sector. DLA Piper is known more for volume than value, although this is something the firm is trying to change. This type of mid-market work does not require much cross-border involvement and because many of the global offices do not work together on cross-border litigation or transactional matters on a regular basis, it may be that Nigel may decide to get rid of the offices in the future. The firm needs to change focus and start recruiting big lateral hires that can take DLA Piper to the next level rather than acquiring teams (servicing local clients) in jurisdictions that serve no cross-border purpose. "
Key clients
Banking clients are of particular importance to the firm, including Barclays, HBOS and Royal Bank of Scotland. Quality mid-market clients the firm has acted for include Collins Stewart, KBC Peel Hunt and Lazard Brothers.
Frequently advises Whitehall thanks to its links with the Office of Government Commerce. Is on the projects and commercial sub panels of the Legal Services Catalist Framework, a centralised super panel set up by Government in its current form in 2007.
In April 2008 the firm won a mandate to advise mobile phione giant Motorola on much of its real estate across more than 50 countries in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Leading partners
"The firm's image is definitely driven by the corporate management team, led by the uber-impressive Nigel Knowles," says one contributor. "However, it's generally accepted that there are some other very influential people that are not so well known - such as former Knowles trainee Andrew Darwin. His annual speech to the UK offices makes you think that he is the real brains behind the DLA Piper operation."
Other vital figures in the UK operation include Manchester finance "demigod" Simon Woolley - "a key banking partner in the UK" who reportedly still beats his City colleagues for deal value. Meanwhile, City-based M&A rainmaker and "workaholic" Andrew Holt (pictured) and leading real estate partner Peter Perry are also highlighted as key figures for the firm. John Cutler is a highly respected banking lawyer in the City.
Career prospects
"Given that the firm's equity is tightly held, this makes it easier to become a partner than at a firm such as Slaughter and May," says one contributor. "However, the amount of salaried partners makes you wonder whether the junior partners have much say (or strong future prospects) in the management, strategic direction or financial rewards of the firm."
Certainly the numbers seem to support that view, with the 2009 Legal Week Top 50 showing DLA Piper's UK arm had 176 full equity partners from a total partnership of 593 in its non-US practice (the US arm operates as a separate limited liability partnership). This is, however, an expansive firm renowned for offering opportunities to ambitious young lawyers.
Salaries
The firm pays very near top City rates in London, with starting pay for lawyers set at £63,000 as of June 2008. However, DLA has been on the receiving end of some flak from its regional lawyers, who are irritated by the widening pay gap between the City and its main regional offices.
In June 2008, pay for NQs in DLA's English regional offices saw the base rate jump by just under 7% to £39,000. There will be a second rise in January 2009, taking pay to a minimum of £41,500. Similarly, NQ rates in Scotland moved up to £34,000 in June 2008 with a second increase to £36,000 set for January.
The firm's bonus scheme is not regarded as being particularly generous.
Recruitment
"DLA Piper seems to find it difficult to recruit and retain its fee earners," argues one contributor, who argues that many of the firm's fee earners "feel they are not adequately remunerated". Yet retention is a problem for many UK firms and DLA Piper is hardly shy of splashing the cash to bring in senior people.
Click here for careers information on the firm.
Work-life balance
Somewhere in the middle - neither sweatshop nor lifestyle firm. Has a reputation in London for putting in fairly long hours for a national firm but avoids the worst of City excesses. Annual billing target of 1,500. Recent Legal Week research found the firm's own assistants weren't that happy about work/life balance or billable hours expectations.
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COMMENTS (TOTAL 47 COMMENTS)
I worked at DLA in the 1990s for a short period. I quickly realised that it was not for me. First because there seemed to be an unhealthy obsession with bringing partners from other firms in as laterals rather than in developing the firm's own talent. Second, there was very much an in-crowd of partners and as a result there was a horde of poorly-paid non-equity partners who couldn't wait to leave.
Partner, top 20 firm -20 Mar 2007 | 18:14
Good firm, impressive ideas, adequate basis, but errors in local areas - Russia, Ukraine (former EY practice), Asia. Local management will kill the perspective.
Anonymous -06 Apr 2007 | 22:23
I worked at DLA Piper as an associate for some considerable time. The high attrition rates it has in some departments have all, in my experience, been due to fee earners being seen as widgets producing billable hours and little more. The firm wants magic circle levels of commitment but getting adequately remunerated below partner level in my experience is like getting blood out of a stone! Everyone I know who has left the firm has done so because they could not see any future there and were sick and tired of not being properly paid.Happy to say that I now work for another firm in the City and have no regrets about moving. Absolutely delighted to earn a great salary and to be appreciated!
Ex-DLA -20 Apr 2007 | 12:51
I think a big problem is the disparity in pay increases within national firms between London and regional lawyers and the message it potentially sends out to regional fee-earners. Irrespective of market conditions, you question your value to an organisation if your London colleagues are paid over 70% more for doing ostensibly the same amount of work. Addleshaws recognised that problem and dealt with it well. The other problem with the London/regional divide is that national firms are at risk of only looking at the economic arguments and ignoring the impact on morale of adopting a two-tier approach to salary increases. Economically it makes sense to ring-fence London salaries in order to limit the cost of salary increases to the firm, but is there a limit to the extent to which non-London employees accept market-based arguments as a justification for a 70% disparity in rates of pay? Currently the disparity is about 50%, and I think that's a reasonable benchmark; not sure where the threshold is at which point regional employees consider moving to the City, but DLA must be getting near it.
Country lawyer -22 Jun 2007 | 17:14
I think the guys in the regions at DLA have got reason to feel very, very annoyed.
Anonymous -22 Jun 2007 | 17:14
Any word on trainee rises?
Anonymous -22 Jun 2007 | 17:15
Regional lawyers shouldn't be complaining. Nationally, house prices aren't going through the roof as they are in London. City associates tend to work longer hours and on more valuable deals. This reflects the fact that London is a booming financial centre and the regions are not. Their work is worth disproportionately more to the firm.
Anonymous -22 Jun 2007 | 17:15
I am a trainee at DLA in the regions and although it is frustrating to hear of the London NQ starting salaries I also think that this article is misleading. Whilst we have been told that we will start on a salary of £36,500 we have also been told that this will increase on 1 Jan (in line with firmwide pay reviews) to "no less than £39,000". I think that the firm is right to ensure that NQs aren't being paid more than more qualified solicitors and for the sake of 3 months I'm happy to wait. Provided that others recieve similar pay increases I think that this was the right position for the firm to take - after all would DLA really want to send out the message that this years NQs are worth more than ones coming up to 1yr PQE? I know I would be pretty demoralised.
Anonymous -22 Jun 2007 | 17:15
My experience is that lawyers in offices of national firms outside London work just as hard, and for just as long, as their London-based colleagues. There is a real danger of firms like DLA becoming very unattractive for employees in the regions - City hours, local salary!
Associate, DLA Piper -22 Jun 2007 | 17:17
Very low morale at the moment.
Anonymous -22 Jun 2007 | 22:55
How long till DLA dumps the regions?
ex DLA -03 Jul 2007 | 12:19
Its ok talking about the pay gap for the lawyers, what about the secretaries, we get no recognition at all!
Current DLA -02 Aug 2007 | 11:32
If they treat their lawyers like dirt, they are hardly likely to treat their secretaries well.
Anonymous -02 Aug 2007 | 14:08
DLA Piper Rudnick doesn't appear to be much of a merger. They (openly) report different profit centres, which hardly goes to "One Firm" and is more like "Many Franchise Holders". On a very painful deal I worked on recently, the annoying banking lawyer at DLA London did things totally his own way, unlike his colleagues in NY and Germany. The reason for not following his American and German colleagues? "They actually belong to a different firm." Brilliant stuff.
Grinder -24 Sep 2007 | 17:33
My experience after a number of years working there is that it is very much a money-driven company, with the bottom line paramount. Quality of work, clients, training, etc. are secondary. It will take another generation before it is close to any of the truly international firms.
Anonymous -03 Feb 2008 | 05:51
I disagree with the poster above. Although it has been a while since I left DLA, whilst I was there, I was impressed with the deals and clients I was exposed to and the tailored training programme. I am pleased to have DLA on my CV and see it going places.
Ex DLA -04 Feb 2008 | 13:39
Moreover, of course the firm is money driven. For any firm not to be would be foolish (think of the successful City firms that went bust in the 90s). After all, being money-driven pays everyone's salaries.
Ex DLA -04 Feb 2008 | 13:41
Brilliant story in the news section of Rollonfriday about a certain Mancunian corporate partner at the Piper misbehaving. Have you got your copy of Take a Break?
Anonymous -22 Feb 2008 | 16:43
Bonus scheme for fee earners began in 2007 and is based on an hours and contribution (including CSR) model with a strong emphasis on hours. Bonuses range notionally from 10 to 25% max and there is a high water mark with 1750 -1800 being the practical minimum number of hours for eligibitlity. No firmwide bonus. Compares unfavourably you others in its peer group in operation given lower than average baseline salaries outside Corporate and Banking and tough scoring in contribution categories.
DLA fee earner -23 Feb 2008 | 15:01
Oh Lord! Another DLA office opens. McDLA anyone?
Barrister-turned-businessman -11 Mar 2008 | 15:02
Friends at DLA, both partners and associates, tell me that the firm is squeezing 'till the pips sqeak. There are some very unhappy people at DLA.
Partner, mid market firm -12 May 2008 | 18:38
My experience was with them as an associate in Asia. I was there for about three years, and during that time over 20 partners had left the firm in Asia. A money driven culture has resulted in partners acting unprofessionally and unethically to do everthing and anything they can get their hands on. This has led to major distrust issues between partners, and many unhappy partners. Unfortunately, management supports those partners who show billable hours, regardless of behaviour. I am sure major risk issues will arise.
Anonymous -15 May 2008 | 01:22
The recent pay reviews have led to increasingly furious and unhappy senior associates at DLA. They are making the classic error of not rewarding the 5+ pqe associates with (in some cases ANY) pay rises reflective of the effort put in. The people I know are all looking to leave and I can't say I blame them as there's nothing worse than reading about record partner profits whilst being told your pay is frozen. From what one hears the individual associates all get on very well with each other but the firm's management appears to be universally reviled and hated - seemingly with just cause. From an outsider's perspective the partnership appears avaricious. I wouldn't join them for love or money (especially as it appears you'll get neither)
Anon -01 Jul 2008 | 18:09
Once upon a time Denton Wilde Sapte had a thriving media and technology practice but some of the partners spread it around that the firm wasn't committed to the practice area. In fact the firm struggled with the economics of a City media practice that had to compete with West End and other media firms. Those partners persuaded the other partners and assistants in the dept to go to DLA which would be more 'committed'. Three years on, the only department that DLA chooses to make redundancies in is the TMC one - so much for their commitment to the practice area. Morale in the dept is so bad that partners talk openly of how soon they can get out.
Anonymous -03 Aug 2008 | 01:26
In Asia the firm is a revolving door of partners and lawyers. It is as bad as any law firm can get in Asia. The joke is that their core values include "team work" and "respect for the individual".
Anonymous -05 Aug 2008 | 07:53
At least they can say that they are a global firm in the sense that they do not value "team work" and have no "respect for the individual" in London either.
Anonymous -11 Aug 2008 | 11:34
Great firm - but not if you are doing insurance work in the Sheffield office. They sacked everyone doing this work in Leeds a few years ago. Surely it is only a matter of time for the few who stay on in Sheffield. No growth & no real prospects if you are not doing work that fits with the global plan !
Yorkshire Lawyer -19 Sep 2008 | 19:06
The comment in your article about DLA Piper International not asking income partners to contribute capital is incorrect. I was an income partner in DLA Piper International until recently and I can confirm that income partners were recently obliged to contribute capital. I avoided having to make the contribution because I had already resigned. A facility was set up in HK, for example, whereby income partners took out a loan from Bank of East Asia. The amount of the loan was then given to DLA Piper International.
Anonymous -22 Nov 2008 | 07:32
I notice that the US arm is 'up-sizing' its salary partners to equity, requiring the payment of equity. The UK 'arm' has announced it has no such plans. Why do they need to? In fact, over the last two years it has had in front of UK/Asia salary partners a 'proposal' from the UK board for salary partners to pay in equity without the benefit of such any real return. Another example of the sheer arrogance of the UK management, particularly in Asia, where many of the UK management's involvement in Asia consists of spending a couple of days in Bali or Thailand during their holidays (if at all). None have actually worked in Asia. Time to get real and listen to what your Asia partners are telling you!!!
Anonymous -27 Nov 2008 | 03:57
The arrogance of the UK management at DLA has long been known -but tolerated internally because profits grew and there were always plenty of high paying equity promotions (requiring no fee earning) for the old boys with the votes (not girls of course) and, surprisingly given that the very same boys had never really proven themselves as lawyers in the first place... anywhere (lest we think Sheffield the centre of legal expertise). But understanding the city or how it works or how to grow a business to the premium end and outgrow their mid-mid market status has always eluded them. They simply transported this mid market mediocrity globally. But in the days of the credit crunch can a law firm's management be arrogant, loud, rude and wrong???? And still have so many non fee earning, non client facing equity partners who earn so much but give so little to the bottom line? Fire a few of these and the poor redundant assistants might still make good sense to keep on!!
annoymous -12 Dec 2008 | 16:33
With insider knowledge of a relatively new (although older in years) DLA Piper partner - needs regeneration - I can tell you they must be recruiting people who want money and prestige at any cost. He dumped his old firm to whom he should have had loyalty, having ruthlessly worked his way up there at great cost to his original colleagues and first family for a greater slice of 'the pie' no doubt. He thinks nothing of being in the office (why?) late at night and working all hours. In private he will expect nothing less of his co-workers. I'm all for a professional approach but sacrifice! No life, no hobbies, no friends. Choose another firm judging by their recruitment judgement. Results at any cost. Do you want to work for such a firm? I wouldn't!
Anony.mouse! -06 Jan 2009 | 16:05
The previous comment on DLA is all a little strange. DLA is not a particularly profitable firm when compared with the truly successful ones, nor is it a prestigious firm known for the unerring quality of its legal advice. But I do agree, if you are going to work all hours, do it on major, difficult transactions at a magic circle or a silver circle firm, surrounded by other high quality, experienced lawyers.
anon -09 Jan 2009 | 08:44
The last comment is all too typical of the myth-building in which magic circle/silver shoe firm partners frequently indulge. I spent almost 10 years at a magic circle firm and thena silver shoe firm and whilst there is no denying the quality of some of their partners/lawyers, there is also an awful lot of dross there as well.
DLA Piper Partner -09 Jan 2009 | 10:15
The first commentator today did not say DLA had "dross" but very amusingly, by using the words "they have a lot of dross AS WELL". In their reply, the current DLA partner seems to be admitting to dross at DLA!!!
Anonymous -09 Jan 2009 | 13:16
And, from what the DLA partner said, there's "an awful lot" of dross at DLA. Very funny!!
Anonymous -09 Jan 2009 | 14:32
Having worked recently on a banking / corporate transaction with DLA at the other end I can actually testify to their appalling quality, or at least the quality of the assistant, and to an extent, the partner I had the misfortune of dealing with. Very shoddy indeed: sending out precedent documents which they have used on previous transactions without even bothering to make appropriate amendments. Having spoken to someone who came across them quite frequently at a previous firm, I understand that this was normal practice for DLA. The attitude seems to be "send out bad drafts and leave it for the other side to spend their time in making the corrections." Seems to me that they're a hulkingly disjointed firm waiting to fall apart.
Anonymous -10 Jan 2009 | 01:29
The "as well" in the second part of the sentence relates to the statement in the first part - i.e. as well as having some good lawyers, they also have a lot of dross. Duh!!
DLA Piper Partner -13 Jan 2009 | 21:40
As someone who worked at DLA for a number of years I can say that it is a changed place, all of the decent time served partners who work hard and make money have either moved on or been moved on. DLA is in thrall to lateral hires, primarily bringing in people who have not made the grade elsewhere. Local management is appalling, client care in some departments is non-existent, and those who prosper are not always those who deserve to prosper.
Anonymous -20 Jan 2009 | 15:45
So when is DLA going to take the tough step of ridding itself of the costly dead wood it pays a premium for at the equity partner level? Those heads of groups, those heads of strategic quangos? Poor things, we all feel sorry for them, but only a little, as they have spent years making money out of an insubstantial contribution. They have been there forever and know where the skeletons are buried but they were always a loss leader and moving them into pure management functions has not made them any more valuable. Fire these people and retain those that can actually keep the clients happy.
anon -22 Jan 2009 | 15:52
Thank you for your comments on DLA Piper. We will consider your advice and continue to be growing as the best and biggest law firm in the world.
Future DLAer -13 Feb 2009 | 14:42
I can't work out whether the previous comment is from Sir Nigel Knowles or (as the name implies) someone who is about to start their training contract (which will probably be deferred whilst the bestest law firm in the world makes redundancies).
Anonymous -17 Feb 2009 | 14:28
There appears to be a lot of negativity in these posts relating to the DLA Piper LLP (UK) and International firms. I must say that as a current employee in the US firm, I am very proud of the US and International firms and excited to be a part of its growth. I have corresponded with many UK counterparts with great delight. The current firm leaders, Sir Nigel Knowles (UK), Lee Miller (US), and Frank Burch (US) are outstanding leaders with great business and interpersonal expertise. The DLA Piper firm will undoubtedly increase its presence in the global community and continue to be successful in attracting the best talent. An envy to all those with negative comments.
Current DLA Piper LLP (US) -12 Mar 2009 | 00:21
A ship never looks like it is sinking when you are on it. It is only from a different perspective that you can see what is happening. Come for a drink with me in Leeds (it is in the North of England) and listen to my mates at DLA going on and on and on about what is wrong with the firm and how they are getting treated. That might alter your perspective.
to the DLA US poster... -16 Mar 2009 | 17:58
DLA pays minimum redundancy money. Of course it does. Its partners are all lateral hires with varying loyalty to the firm. If the money dries up, many will go. So they have to keep up the payments to partners even at the expense of being decent to staff. Sorry guys, but that's the sort of firm you are working for.
Rob -19 Mar 2009 | 16:18
To the US poster - you should come to the UK and walk the floors. Then you will find out what kind of firm your firm merged with and how happy its staff are.
stuck at DLA -19 Mar 2009 | 16:49
Dunno what it is like in the regions, but the London office is like a cemetery, full of the ghosts of associates who deserved better treatment than they got.
DLA associate -24 Jun 2009 | 16:54
Some say things are about to get worse - is the long unchallenged reign of Knowles coming to a close...?
eric bowser -05 Dec 2009 | 18:17
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