Opinion ID: 1539644
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Paul's severance as a partner.

Text: On March 25, 2004, Vincent DeGutis, the Partner in Charge of Paul's office, and Frank Marcos, the Partner in Charge of Deloitte's tax practice in the Northeast Region, decided to recommend that Paul be severed from the partnerships. DeGutis and Marcos prepared a draft severance recommendation, which they refined with the help of Steven Severin, one of the partners responsible for addressing Deloitte partners' performance throughout the country. The final recommendation was then submitted to the Committee of 6. On April 8, Marcos and DeGutis informed Paul of their recommendation. On April 12, the Committee of 6 met to consider the recommendation and voted unanimously to sever Paul from the Deloitte partnerships. Marcos promptly informed Paul orally of the Committee's decision and offered Paul an additional severance payment of $50,000 based upon a notice date of April 12, 2004 (and corresponding last day of May 12, 2004) in exchange for his resignation and a general release. Paul initially accepted. Time passed while Paul and Marcos discussed the terms of Paul's resignation. Because of the delay, Paul received an additional two weeks' compensation (approximately $30,000), so Marcos reduced the additional severance offer to approximately $20,000. Paul ultimately declined the offer. By letter dated April 22, 2004, within the two year window provided for in Paul's Admission Agreement, Deloitte informed Paul that the Committee of 6 had voted to sever him, gave him the required one month's notice of such severance, and specified that his partnership was terminated effective May 27, 2004. [3] It is undisputed that Paul received the sums and accommodations to which he was entitled by his Admission Agreement, including about $215,000 in severance payments and a return of his capital, which was then $665,000. On May 11, 2004, Paul was offered a partnership in another Boston accounting firm, Vitale, Caturano & Company and, on June 14, less than three weeks after he was severed from Deloitte, Paul joined Vitale Caturano as a partner.