After a very long hiatus, we received some welcome comments from an anonymous Middletons spy over the weekend:

Managing Partner at Middletons must have misspoke in a recent ALB article:

Nick said that, despite a downturn in business over the past 12-18 months, the firm did not institute any measures such as salary or hiring freezes 

Nick seems to think that the firm didn’t make any hiring or salary freezes. That’s going to come as a bit of a shock to the firm’s lawyers and SAs, who haven’t seen any movement in their pay for a long time (even if they got a promotion in 2009/2010).

The salary freeze was discussed at length by Nick in other contexts so it’s hard to understand why he’s forgotten about it now.

Yes, this does seem odd, particularly when considering the “careers” page of the Middletons website which asks potential applicants:

Are you a straight talker? Middletons is a national commercial law firm whose lawyers pride themselves on their straight talking approach…

Is your boss a straight talker?

Send the Firm Spy your news and views!

Mid-tier law firm Middletons told five out of its eighteen Melbourne Articled Clerks today that their days at the firm

are numbered. The Middletons partnership made the now standard reference to the global financial crisis in breaking the news to devastated ACs.  One Middletons firm spy reports:

‘There wasn’t a dry eye among the devastated ACs who were informed that the GFC was to blame for their job losses; though their sadness was clearly infused with black anger that the same partners breaking this news will make tens of thousands of dollars over the next month while they line up for the dole.’

Two of the five distraught ACs were told that they would be able to relocate to the Sydney office to continue their career at Middletons, while the other three were told to be out of the building at the end of their Articles.

Like Deacons, the costs of admission for the redundant ACs will reportedly not be borne by the Middletons partnership.  Disappointing indeed.

Middletons has today merged with two law firms - Salter Power and Franklin Legal - in its Perth office, the Financial

Review has reported. The firm believes the merger will yield a revenue boost of 10% in the first year alone. Managing partner Nick Nichola commented that the merger was ‘self-evident’ and would give the firm more ‘credibility in the market’.

The news comes as we receive credible reports from a Middletons Firm Spy that graduate articled clerks are genuinely fearful for their careers in the wake of the economic downturn. This source made the follwing comment in an email we received earlier today:

‘several questionable performance reviews and a procession of whispered partner conversation are some of the things which have engendered a widespread fear in many ACs that, beyond our articles year, our time at Middletons may be limted.’

Do you agree? Do you fear for your job security? Let the Firm Spy know first!