Linklaters faces post-redundancy dispute with former employee
Author: Sofia Lind
07 Aug 2009 | 12:51 | 10 comments
Linklaters has confirmed that it is in discussions with a former employee relating to the redundancy programme it carried out earlier this year.
Referring to reports on RollonFriday that the firm was facing legal action from at least one former staff member, Linklaters confirmed that it is in discussions with one ex-employee as a result of their redundancy. However, the firm would not be drawn on the details.
In a statement Linklaters said: "Whilst our policy is not to comment on any litigation we can confirm that only one case is currently under discussion in respect of our redundancy programme."
Linklaters restructured heavily earlier this year through a global program dubbed Linklaters New World which saw the firm laying off around 400 employees. Out of these, 200 were lawyers and 200 were business support staff. Around half of the cuts affected the London office, with the firm declining to comment on individual international offices.
The restructuring also saw the firm trimming down its partnership, with around 35 partners worldwide expected to leave by the end of the year. However the firm has not confirmed an official number of partners set to go.
Since the restructuring Linklaters has emerged as the largest firm in the UK by revenues during the last financial year. The firm reported a virtually static turnover of £1.298bn for 2008-09 compared with £1.293bn last year. The firm said its profits per equity partner (PEP) fell to £1.3m, in part due to costs inflicted by the restructuring.
COMMENTS(TOTAL 10 COMMENTS)
Look forward to reading details of this case as it rumbles on. I think that Linklaters has behaved very shoddily towards its lawyers.
Anonymous -07 Aug 2009 | 14:05
Good luck to you all! I admire you for taking them on.
Anonymous -09 Aug 2009 | 11:20
Dear Partners, it has been exactly six months since we learnt about the redundancy programme so why are you still tied up with the redundancy? Most people at the firm have moved on so do us all a favour and do the same.
Fed Up LL Associate -09 Aug 2009 | 23:28
By all accounts, the entire saga seems to have been handled very poorly which is a very poor reflection on this firm.
Anonymous -10 Aug 2009 | 12:10
Good luck to the former employees!
Anonymous -10 Aug 2009 | 16:12
It was only a matter of time...
silvercircle -10 Aug 2009 | 18:20
I admire the guts of these employees to stand up to the firm. I think that most of the profession will have sympathy with them in their fight given the arrogant approach that the firm seems to have shown towards its lawyers and support staff. Good luck, and I hope that you take them to the tribunal so that we can all hear about how they treat their employees.
Anonymous -11 Aug 2009 | 10:11
This does not surprise me. Good management and law firms don't tend to mix; certainly outside of running their own deals (and even then there is a high degree of incompetence and complacency swept under the carpet by hardworking associates). Partners tend to be as useful as a lighthouse in the desert when it comes to decent management and leadership skills; bright, but of no practical use to anyone.
Alex -11 Aug 2009 | 12:51
Good luck to them. The manner in which some partnerships have booted out their associates in order to maintain boom time is reflecting very badly on the guilty firms and, in my view, the profession at large. I can't help but think that some firms will face serious packback in terms of attrition when the upturn inevitably comes.
Anonymous -15 Aug 2009 | 22:01
All these firms are the same, White & Case were just as bad! What should be being asked is how many people actually left?
Anonymous -17 Aug 2009 | 12:12
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