Chicago law firms lay off attorneys, staff

As their corporate clients show the financial strain resulting from the nation's sagging economy, major law firms are beginning to respond with cut backs of staff.

Two Chicago law firms fired attorneys this week, and more layoffs are expected.

In a second round of dismissals this year, Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal let go of about 24 lawyers out of 680. And Katten Muchin Rosenman laid off 21out of 650

Because mass layoffs are rare in the legal industry, it becomes major news in the profession when firms in Chicago and across the nation cut staff.

The economic downturn has reduced the number of financial deals that earn big fees for corporate law firms. There has also been a decline in the number of new business-related lawsuits.