Sixth year trusts and estates associate and firm softball captain Evan Plinkton was sitting in his office daydreaming about his spring season line-up when he received the email. According to its firm chairman, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP was going to have to layoff 41 associates in response to the global economic downturn. Plinkton had stayed consistently busy in the past couple of months, so he was confident that he would be spared. He quickly realized, however, that the same probably could not be said for the heart of his batting order.
Plinkton’s first call went to Martin Tenley, a fourth year corporate associate who could knock the cover off of a slow-pitched softball. When Tenley’s assistant answered the call, Plinkton could tell from her voice that the news was bad. He immediately hung up and called his shortstop and five-hole hitter Peter Grumm. Grumm picked up after the first ring, “Sorry Plinkton, looks like you guys are going to have to play small ball this year, I got canned five minutes ago.” Plinkton felt like the sky was falling.
Fifteen minutes and five phone calls later, it became clear that Fried Frank would no longer be this year’s league favorite. Six starters had fallen victim to the downsizing, including two first-year associates from softball powerhouse UVa Law. The present and the future of Fried Frank softball was toast.
Plinkton cringed at the thought of other firms picking up the meat and potatoes of his line-up. If Gibson Dunn hired his laid-off leadoff hitter and third baseman, they would be unbeatable. The loud ring of his phone woke him from the thought of this nightmare. It was eighth year associate Barry Belky. Plinkton had been hiding the exact time and location of Fried Frank’s softball games from Belky for five years. Today, however, was a different story. Plinkton reluctantly picked up the phone and with forced enthusiasm stated, “Belky, good to hear from you. Ever played right field?”
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