Bosses tightlipped on Pannone job losses

UNCERTAINTY surrounds around 100 jobs thought to be under threat after the break-up and sale of Manchester law firm Pannone to deal-hungry Australian consumer law group Slater & Gordon .

While 400 fee earners and staff are part of the sale to Slater & Gordon and a further 50 will be part of Pannone Corporate – a new firm led by current senior partner Steven Grant and litigation partner Paul Jonson – a significant number of roles are unaccounted for after these deals.

Pannone had around 580 full-time equivalent staff earlier this year.

While there have been some departures since then, most notably Court of Protection specialist Hugh Jones who took around 20 fee earners and support staff with him when he launched his own firm, Pannone, at the time of acquisition is understood to have had more than 550 employees.

There have already been a number of departures with the heads of Pannone’s Connect2Law and Affinity divisions, David Jabarri and Charles Layfield respectively both leaving the business in the last week.

Pannone managing partner Emma Holt, who brokered the Slater & Gordon deal, was in meetings yesterday and unavailable to clarify the situation. Inquiries were referred to Slater & Gordon.

Slater & Gordon UK head Neil Kinsella said: “It’s not appropriate for us to divulge the details of confidential discussions between Pannone and their staff.”

Asked about the future of Connect2Law – a network of support for smaller law firms set up by Pannone – and its while label arm, Affinity, Mr Kinsella said: “Affinity will be restructured at completion.

“All decisions around the transaction have been made with the aim of creating the strongest platform possible for the firm to move forward as a well-funded, well executed national firm with quality service at the heart of our business.