(Courtesy photo)

FordHarrison is one of the first reported firms to cancel its summer associate program, a move that could be a harbinger of similar actions by other firms.

In an interview, Al McKenna, the national labor and employment firm's managing partner, called it the "prudent thing to do," saying the firm is cutting back on expenses wherever possible as the coronavirus pandemic lengthens.

The firm's summer class had only five law students, McKenna said. Two were assigned to its Tampa, Florida, office, another two in Los Angeles and one in Spartanburg, South Carolina. McKenna said Ford & Harrison also decided to cancel the five summer positions because its offices will be working remotely for the foreseeable future, as they have since March 16.

Allen McKenna of Ford & Harrison. (Courtesy photo)

"It makes no sense to offer a summer position to someone to come into an office when you're not even sure if the office is going to be open," McKenna said, adding that the firm called each law student in late March and sent a follow-up letter to give them as much notice as possible to make other plans. The firm's recruiting partner "offered them externships down the road," he said.

McKenna added that his first consideration is the livelihoods of the firm's lawyers and staff—and avoiding any pay cuts or furloughs.

"We're trying to do all the planning everybody else is doing to make sure we are in the best situation we can be in to come out of this as strong as possible," he said. "When you look at where you have expenses and where you can pare down, you have to look at the summer associate class." 

"We're in a good financial position. But the problem is—nobody knows how long this will last," he said. "I want to be able to look our people in the eye and say I've done everything I can do, before I do something that affects their livelihood." 

Ford & Harrison had a "very strong" first quarter, including March, McKenna said. "Our COVID-19 task force was inundated with client calls, and we had 2,500 clients and potential clients participate in webinars on coronavirus in March. And with Congress putting out new stimulus laws every other week, it's generated a lot of work." 

But he added that the second quarter probably won't be as strong, as the economy further weakens from the nationwide shutdown to quarantine against the coronavirus.

"I think it's the prudent thing to do," McKenna said of the summer class cancellation, which was first reported by Above the Law. "We have employees here with families who depend on this firm for their livelihood. I take that seriously. I'm sorry it impacts these folks. These are difficult times, and they require difficult decisions."