Macfarlanes has launched a second redundancy consultation with 15 jobs under threat.

The consultation, which began yesterday (10 June), is set to affect 14 support staff including secretaries, as well as one professional support lawyer. The bulk of those facing the axe will come from corporate and central resources.

Macfarlanes senior partner Charles Martin told Legal Week: "Regrettably this process has happened, principally as a result of market conditions. It also comes with changes to our working practices where secretaries cover more fee earners."

This is the second consultation that the City firm has conducted after launching a consultation in January which affected a total of seven real estate fee earners and seven secretaries across corporate and property.

The firm has also announced that it is set to retain 18 out of 21 trainees from its September intake.

Last month Macfarlanes promoted two lawyers to the partnership, a reduction on last year's promotions round when the UK top 30 firm made up five.

Yesterday (10 June) Wragge & Co launched a redundancy consultation that could see 85 jobs cut, with the redundancies expected to be evenly split between fee earners, support staff and secretaries. All practices in the firm's Birmingham and London offices are likely to be affected by the 30-day consultation.