Dentons finalises job cuts with 76 staff laid off

Denton Wilde Sapte has finalised the details of its redundancy programme, with the firm confirming the loss of 76 jobs, including 37 fee earners.

The process, which was launched at the beginning of the year, was completed last week (13 March), after a consultation with 80 staff members in the firm's London and Milton Keynes offices.

Dentons told Legal Week that half of the redundancies were volunteered by staff members. Three members of staff retained their jobs after agreeing to take a six-month sabbatical, while one job was saved with an agreement to take on an alternative role.

The firm elected 21 employee representatives from each area of the firm affected by the cuts, with the real estate department - which has been hardest hit by the cuts - electing two.

Dentons has also confirmed that laid-off staff will be offered an "enhanced" redundancy package, as well as assistance in training costs and career counselling.

Chief executive Howard Morris said: "It has been a period that none of us wanted to undertake and I thank all support staff and lawyers for handling this in a professional way."

The firm said the cuts only affect the London and Milton Keynes offices, but that the London office has been in constant communication with the firm's overseas bases.

Morris said: "Each market is different. We looked to managing partners to consult whether they needed to cut costs or even make redundancies. There is no doubt that the UK has been hit hardest [by the recession]."

For more analysis, see Editor's Blog: Severance watch - score one to the magic circle (and Nabarro)

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