Charles Russell has confirmed that it has begun a redundancy consultation at the firm, with nine jobs under review.
 
The firm confirmed the news, first reported by RollOnFriday today (12 June); however, a spokesperson declined to provide more details on whether those included in the review are lawyers or support staff, and would not confirm which offices are affected.

Charles Russell, which has two regional offices in Cheltenham and Guildford alongside its London headquarters, sold its three-partner Cambridge office to Penningtons in March this year, with the deal coming after it closed its Oxford office in January.

Last year the firm also closed the doors on its second London base in the West End, which was used for back office functions and meetings. All staff were relocated to the firm's main London headquarters in Fleet Street.
 
Charles Russell also made job cuts in the wake of the downturn in 2009, when a formal redundancy consultation saw 18 roles placed under review. At that time the firm also offered its lawyers the chance to work a four-day week in a bid to reduce the numbers affected and stave off further cuts.
 
News of the consultation comes after Herbert Smith today confirmed that it will cut 43.5 full-time equivalent roles in London after concluding a redundancy consultation which began in April this year.
 
Mayer Brown, meanwhile, is also set to cut up to 20 jobs in London, with both lawyers and support staff affected, while Shoosmiths announced last month that it is set to make up to 93 job cuts in a restructuring of the firm's consumer legal services arm, with the volume motor personal injury team in Basingstoke primarily affected.