Addleshaw Goddard to cut 85 staff

LAW firm Addleshaw Goddard has announced it is to cut around 85 jobs across its UK offices.

The cuts, which the firm said was in response to “the prevailing and sustained economic slowdown”, will be made as part of a restructure of its Business Services and Secretarial teams.

The firm, which has offices in Manchester, Leeds and London, gave no regional breakdown for the job losses, but said they would affect all business services teams in broadly equal numbers.

A 30-day consultation process has begun.

There will be no job cuts among fee earners, but the firm said it would be consulting them about taking possible sabbaticals, buying extra holidays, and reduced working hours.

All salaries will be frozen at 2008/09 levels for all fee earners and business services teams at the firm indefinitely, and they will be reviewed again on May 1, 2010.

Meanwhile, newly qualified lawyers in Manchester and Leeds will see their salaries lowered from £40,000 to £36,500 and trainees will get a £500 reduction to £24,500. Places remain for all 39 trainees due to start with the firm in September 2009.

Paul Devitt, Addleshaw’s managing partner, said: “Our priority during this sustained downturn is to continue to manage our firm in a way which is appropriate for us and our clients.

“We addressed overcapacity in the partnership earlier this year and with conditions remaining challenging, we now need to address our wider resource and cost base.

“These decisions have been reached only after the most careful and thorough consideration and we are giving as much support as we can to the affected individuals.

“We are confident that the full range of measures being proposed, and decisions taken, will help to keep the number of roles `at risk` to a minimum and will minimise the need for any future similar announcements.”

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