In a memo seen by Legal Week, Senior confirmed that work levels had dropped with total recorded hours falling by around 5% since January.
He said the office feels quieter because of increases in legal headcount over the last year, resulting in a thinner spread of work.
In the email Senior said: “It is clear that this current downturn will have further to run, and like any sensible business we will continue to monitor and to respond positively to the impact of that downturn. However, it is also important to remember that we have seen downturns before in the 1990s and earlier this decade. They do not last forever and things will improve in time.”
He asks his staff to stay focused on the firm’s strategic focus to develop practice areas, deliver value to clients, and to drive growth and profitability.
He added: “Each of us can contribute to the success of the business by continuing to deliver excellent work product and world-class client service, as well as more broadly contributing to the development of the business. We can also use any quiet periods to reflect on how we might make improvements to our service to internal and external clients.”
