Baker & McKenzie's City office has teamed up with employee benefits company My Family Care to offer emergency care services for the firm's London employees.

The new scheme, which will launch next week (16 November), will allow the US firm's City staff to search for and book a qualified and vetted nanny or childminder in the UK at as little as 30 minutes' notice. It will also enable staff to find home care for adult dependents in a location convenient to them.

The tie-up, which is being coordinated by the firm's London head of diversity and corporate social responsibility Jennifer Barrow, is a part of the firm's recently-established 'work, life and health' focus group within its employee benefits function.

Barrow said: "Our new emergency back-up care scheme will offer enhanced back-up care options to all members of staff, as well as more flexible and convenient solutions to parents."

The initiative follows a similar deal struck by Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer with the same provider earlier this month. The magic circle firm will offer up to 10 free back-up care sessions a year to cover childcare, elderly care, school holiday cover or care for other dependent adults.