Camerons makes widest use of 'flex' schemes at City firms
CMS Cameron McKenna and Norton Rose are the UK law firms which made the greatest use of flexible working as a cost-saving measure during the recession, according to Legal Week research. Camerons put around 700 members - including 364 lawyers - of its UK staff of slightly more than 1,000 on its year-long scheme that finished in May.
July 21, 2010 at 07:23 AM
2 minute read
Most firms end flex schemes ushered in to cut costs amid recession
CMS Cameron McKenna and Norton Rose are the UK law firms which made the greatest use of flexible working as a cost-saving measure during the recession, according to Legal Week research.
Camerons put around 700 members – including 364 lawyers – of its UK staff of slightly more than 1,000 on its year-long scheme that finished in May.
Sixty-five percent of participants took two weeks' unpaid leave, while 24% worked a four-day week and 9% took a four to 12-week sabbatical.
Meanwhile, Norton Rose's scheme, which finished in January, accounted for 600 lawyers and support staff over a nine-month period, including 50%-60% in London.
Seventy percent of staff participating in the scheme took on a four-day week, while the remaining 30% took a sabbatical. Norton Rose estimated that implementing the measures saved around 100 jobs.
Elsewhere, SJ Berwin finished a flexible working scheme in April, which affected more than 400 of 600 City staff. A nine-day fortnight option saw the largest take-up, followed by extended leave and sabbaticals.
Pinsent Masons' scheme, set to finish in August, has seen more than 200 of around 600 lawyers placed on flexible working measures. The firm estimates the measures – which saw 75% take sabbaticals and 25% reduce their hours – have helped to save around 50 jobs.
Jonathan Bond, director of human resources and learning at Pinsents, said: "We had a flexible working policy in place, but lawyers are naturally wary of this mode of working as there is a worry you cannot sufficiently cover client needs. The last year has opened some minds and shown it does work."
Other firms to have implemented flexible working include Addleshaw Goddard, where more than 100 lawyers have taken additional leave, with others working reduced hours. The firm's programme is set to finish in October.
This content has been archived. It is available through our partners, LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law.
To view this content, please continue to their sites.
Not a Lexis Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
Not a Bloomberg Law Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
NOT FOR REPRINT
© 2025 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
You Might Like
View All
Jones Day, BCLP & Other Major Firms Boost European Teams with Key Partner Hires
4 minute read
$13.8 Billion Magomedov Claim Thrown Out by UK High Court
Ropes & Gray, Mori Hamada, Nishimura & Asahi Act on Bain Capital’s $634M Aircraft Business Acquisition in Japan
Trending Stories
- 1‘Extremely Disturbing’: AI Firms Face Class Action by ‘Taskers’ Exposed to Traumatic Content
- 2State Appeals Court Revives BraunHagey Lawsuit Alleging $4.2M Unlawful Wire to China
- 3Invoking Trump, AG Bonta Reminds Lawyers of Duties to Noncitizens in Plea Dealing
- 422-Count Indictment Is Just the Start of SCOTUSBlog Atty's Legal Problems, Experts Say
- 5Judge Rejects Walgreens' Contractual Dispute Against Founder's Family Member
Who Got The Work
J. Brugh Lower of Gibbons has entered an appearance for industrial equipment supplier Devco Corporation in a pending trademark infringement lawsuit. The suit, accusing the defendant of selling knock-off Graco products, was filed Dec. 18 in New Jersey District Court by Rivkin Radler on behalf of Graco Inc. and Graco Minnesota. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi, is 3:24-cv-11294, Graco Inc. et al v. Devco Corporation.
Who Got The Work
Rebecca Maller-Stein and Kent A. Yalowitz of Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer have entered their appearances for Hanaco Venture Capital and its executives, Lior Prosor and David Frankel, in a pending securities lawsuit. The action, filed on Dec. 24 in New York Southern District Court by Zell, Aron & Co. on behalf of Goldeneye Advisors, accuses the defendants of negligently and fraudulently managing the plaintiff's $1 million investment. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick, is 1:24-cv-09918, Goldeneye Advisors, LLC v. Hanaco Venture Capital, Ltd. et al.
Who Got The Work
Attorneys from A&O Shearman has stepped in as defense counsel for Toronto-Dominion Bank and other defendants in a pending securities class action. The suit, filed Dec. 11 in New York Southern District Court by Bleichmar Fonti & Auld, accuses the defendants of concealing the bank's 'pervasive' deficiencies in regards to its compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act and the quality of its anti-money laundering controls. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian, is 1:24-cv-09445, Gonzalez v. The Toronto-Dominion Bank et al.
Who Got The Work
Crown Castle International, a Pennsylvania company providing shared communications infrastructure, has turned to Luke D. Wolf of Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani to fend off a pending breach-of-contract lawsuit. The court action, filed Nov. 25 in Michigan Eastern District Court by Hooper Hathaway PC on behalf of The Town Residences LLC, accuses Crown Castle of failing to transfer approximately $30,000 in utility payments from T-Mobile in breach of a roof-top lease and assignment agreement. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Susan K. Declercq, is 2:24-cv-13131, The Town Residences LLC v. T-Mobile US, Inc. et al.
Who Got The Work
Wilfred P. Coronato and Daniel M. Schwartz of McCarter & English have stepped in as defense counsel to Electrolux Home Products Inc. in a pending product liability lawsuit. The court action, filed Nov. 26 in New York Eastern District Court by Poulos Lopiccolo PC and Nagel Rice LLP on behalf of David Stern, alleges that the defendant's refrigerators’ drawers and shelving repeatedly break and fall apart within months after purchase. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Joan M. Azrack, is 2:24-cv-08204, Stern v. Electrolux Home Products, Inc.
Featured Firms
Law Offices of Gary Martin Hays & Associates, P.C.
(470) 294-1674
Law Offices of Mark E. Salomone
(857) 444-6468
Smith & Hassler
(713) 739-1250
