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Law360 (April 3, 2020, 3:00 PM EDT ) Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott LLC confirmed on Friday that it was furloughing a portion of its administrative and support staff without pay as the Pittsburgh-based firm faces down the economic uncertainties of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
While officials said the majority of the firm's between 300 and 400 support staff would remain on the job moving forward, Chief Development Officer Harold Balk told Law360 in a statement that Eckert had opted to enact the hopefully temporary furloughs as the firm forges ahead with new remote and virtual working arrangements.
"The many unknowns of the coronavirus pandemic and what impact it may have on the months ahead are certainly top of mind for every business around the world," Balk said. "Governmental stay-at-home orders restrict Eckert Seamans' in-office operations, meaning the firm must continue its virtual/remote operations for the foreseeable future."
"With that in mind, Eckert Seamans has made the difficult decision to temporarily furlough some of their staff members across the firm's 15 offices," he added. "By keeping the firm strong and prepared for the future, Eckert Seamans hopes that it can return to full staffing as soon as economic circumstances permit."
According to firm officials, the furloughs will affect an undisclosed number of paralegals, administrative assistants and other back office staff, but the workers will still receive health and other benefits during their time away from work.
The furloughs were set to begin as of the end of the day on Friday, officials said.
The move is the latest in what's becoming a steady drumbeat of staffing reductions and pay cuts at law firms as the legal industry struggles to adapt to the coronavirus outbreak and its impact on business.
On Wednesday, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz PC announced that it was planning to impose a salary reduction for shareholders and other staff and that it would also be furloughing an untold number of employees.
Pryor Cashman LLP confirmed on Tuesday, meanwhile, that it was furloughing some associates, while Womble Bond Dickinson said it would be implementing both layoffs and furloughs for some of its employees.
--Additional reporting by Xiumei Dong and Emma Cueto. Editing by John Campbell.
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