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The doughboy must be rolling in his grave
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pitman is going after some former partners, having asked at least 8 partners who left the firm last year to pay some money back to the firm in the next 30 days. The partners were sent demand letters saying they’d received overpayments between $30,000 and $100,000 due to their profit distributions being allegedly larger than their actual profit share.
Reactions from ex-partners who received the letters ranged from “insulted” to “furious.” Many questioned the firm’s accounting, the fairness and enforceability of the demands, and why they are being singled out, since not all partners who left last year got a letter.
Pillsbury’s general counsel claims this situation is quite common. But “[i]ndustry insiders and law firm leaders” say that this actually is rather unusual and at least some of the partners say they’ll take the matter to court if they have to:
“It’s something that we’re going to fight and not take lying down,” said one former Pillsbury partner who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Former partners said that if the firm sues, they’ll band together in court. Some said they are looking to hire lawyers in the matter.
When lawyers fight among themselves, the only ones who win are their lawyers. …or something like that.
