DLA consultation closes with 124 staff laid off
Author: Claire Ruckin
14 May 2009 | 05:50
DLA Piper has completed its second UK redundancy consultation with 124 staff leaving the firm as a result.
Twenty-four fee earners and 100 support staff have been axed across the firm's UK offices following the consultation, which closed last week.
The figure is marginally lower than initial predictions when the firm said 140 jobs could go, with some staff opting for reduced working hours or lower pay to save jobs.
UK managing partner David Bradley said: "Under the circumstance we are pleased that we were able to contain the number of redundancies in the UK, over a third of which were voluntary. We had not previously been through a process like this for the firm but it was carried out thoroughly and with great integrity on both sides."
DLA Piper's consultation, announced in February, caused controversy when details of the firm's redundancy package and criteria were leaked. Staff were angered by proposals including the apparent intention to mark down those who had been off work through illness. There were also complaints that the criteria would penalise junior staff with few opportunities to develop client links.
A similar consultation in December last year resulted in 15 fee earners and 16 support staff being made redundant in the UK. The firm also made five fee earners in its technology, media and commercial group redundant in August 2008.
In February DLA Piper cut 80 associates in the US, equating to 5% of its US-based lawyers, with the firm announcing plans to cut 54 jobs in Asia the following month.
Earlier this month, Shoosmiths announced a redundancy consultation affecting 25 fee earners and 44 support staff, while Berwin Leighton Paisner and CMS Cameron McKenna both launched redundancy consultations likely to affect around 80 staff at each of the firms' City headquarters.
COMMENTS (TOTAL 7 COMMENTS)
The previous DLA article quoted - "Those that have been with the firm for at least two years will also receive statutory redundancy equating to one week's pay for each year's service, capped at £350 a week." That is an awful package compared to others like Herbert Smith. I feel for those DLA people being laid off. But it may be a blessing in disguise from what I hear about the firm.
Metallica -13 May 2009 | 15:48
What do you hear Metallica?
Kid Rock -13 May 2009 | 17:17
I agree, also these figures don't reflect the various people who were let go out with the redundancy process, ie the various fixed share partners who were surplus to requirements and those whose hours have been cut. Open and transparent - not!
Anonymous -13 May 2009 | 17:19
Yeah, what do you hear Metallica?
System of a down -13 May 2009 | 17:38
Metallica and subsequent anonymous poster - I think that you know nothing about the realities of running a business. If you dole out huge redundancy payments, that defeats the object of cost-cutting. As to transparency, show me an organisation that genuinely is.
No B S -13 May 2009 | 17:44
I just heard stuff that backed up what people were saying in the previous DLA article.
Metallica -13 May 2009 | 17:49
To No B S - Actually I do know the goings-on in running a business and have done from a very young age. Do I know how to run a huge law firm? Of course not! I didn't claim I did if you read carefully. But I do know how to treat staff with respect. I didn't suggest huge redundancy packages - I pointed out the DLA package was tiny compared to others. Therefore a bit of an increase, maybe not to the extent of others, would be fair.
Metallica -14 May 2009 | 11:01
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