UK firm calls time on Flex scheme as work levels begin to recover

Norton Rose is ending the flexible working scheme it introduced last year in a bid to avoid redundancies.

The City law firm is taking all staff off its Flex scheme from tomorrow (29 January), several months earlier than planned, as a result of an uptake in activity levels.

The firm estimates that it saved roughly 100 jobs through the high-profile scheme which, at its height in summer 2009, saw around 600 staff working reduced hours.

The Flex scheme, introduced on 1 May last year and intended to last for the full financial year, saw fee earners and support staff working either a four-day week or taking an extended sabbatical, with activity levels monitored weekly by a committee including practice heads, senior management and human resources staff.

Chief executive Peter Martyr (pictured) told Legal Week: "We have taken the view to repay our loyal staff by cutting Flex as early as possible. Although we are not out of the woods yet as far as the recession is concerned, we have been monitoring things on a micro and macro level and the previous quarter showed more activity across the firm.

"We told staff that if we could drop it early, we would. We think that we have done the right thing."

The news comes as the firm puts the final touches on its merger with Australian outfit Deacons, which went live at the beginning of this month. A 12-member supervisory board has been finalised, which includes three seats for Deacons partners and nine for Norton Rose.

The board, which is overseen by chairman Stephen Parish, comprises Sydney corporate partner Adrian Ahern; Perth banking partner Chris Mcleod; Melborne arbitration partner Cameron Harvey; London corporate finance partners Raj Karia, Robin Brooks and Martin Scott; Germany chief Alexander von Bergwelt; Amsterdam chief Ep Hannema; tax head Louise Higginbottom; antitrust head Martin Coleman; financial institutions chief James Bateson; and Middle East senior partner Campbell Steedman.