Samuel Pond Samuel H. Pond of Pond Lehocky Giordano. (Courtesy photo)

Philadelphia workers' compensation and Social Security disability law firm Pond Lehocky Giordano is laying off more than six dozen employees as it grapples with the coronavirus pandemic.

The firm filed a notice with the state of Pennsylvania that said it will permanently lay off 76 people, effective June 1. The notice was filed pursuant to the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act.

Asked for additional information, a spokesperson for the firm said in an emailed statement: "We can confirm the layoffs are related to the pandemic, but otherwise, out of respect for the privacy of our clients and staff, we don't think it's appropriate to discuss the layoffs further in this unprecedented and historic time."

Pond Lehocky had a lawyer head count of 41 last year, according to data collected by ALM. According to its website, it has more than 40 attorneys and 250 staff.

The firm became embroiled in a dispute between former partners last year, after former name partner David Stern left Pond Lehocky and sued to dissolve the partnership. In his complaint, he alleged "oppressive conduct" by Pond Lehocky managing partner Samuel Pond, which "made it not reasonably practicable to carry on the business in partnership with him." That case is ongoing in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas.

Numerous Pennsylvania businesses, particularly in the restaurant and hospitality industries, have filed WARN Act Notices with the state in the weeks since they were forced to close or significantly scale back because of restrictions created to slow the spread of the new virus.

But just one other law firm has filed a WARN notice in Pennsylvania. Philadelphia-based Phelan Hallinan Diamond & Jones, which specializes in mortgage foreclosures, laid off 48 people effective March 27, according to its WARN notice.

Still, other firms have acknowledged the elimination of some jobs.

Philadelphia-headquartered Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr said April 30 that it had laid off some employees, among other austerity measures, including salary reductions for people making more than $50,000 per year and temporary furloughs. A spokesperson for the firm declined to clarify the extent of the layoffs.

And Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath, which was created by the merger of Midwest-based Faegre Baker Daniels and Philadelphia-based Drinker Biddle & Reath earlier this year, said last week that it has made some layoffs, which it attributed to redundancies created in the Feb. 1 merger. The eliminated staff positions represent 1.5% of total head count, and those affected were provided with severance packages, the firm said.

Some other large law firms based in Pennsylvania have acknowledged that they furloughed some employees, with hopes of bringing them back later on. They include Blank Rome, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, Duane Morris and Cozen O'Connor.

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