Eversheds has decided against implementing a multi-skilled training approach for its junior lawyers after negative feedback from its clients.
The national giant considered introducing a system where it would operate a pool of broadly experienced junior lawyers. However, clients said the move could affect lawyers’ quality of work and lead to them footing the bill for the re-training.
The firm now says it has no plans to implement any changes to the way its lawyers operate. The move would have been a U-turn for Eversheds which, like many top UK firms, has spent more than a decade building up specialised lawyer teams.
The move comes despite a recent initiative by Allen & Overy, which has recently begun to encourage lawyers to gain a wider range of experience and build a more general practice, in part to prepare for fluctuating market conditions. Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer is also moving to improve flexibility by grouping related departments.
Eversheds chief executive David Gray commented: “We are always looking at ways of enhancing the service we provide and have explored multi-skilling as an option. Obviously this enables a law firm to reduce cost and improve profitability, but it does not necessarily follow that service provision is enhanced.”
He added: “The clients we have consulted have voiced concerns that multi-skilling could jeopardise quality of work and mean that they are paying for the lawyers’ learning curve.”
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