Field Fisher Waterhouse is considering shifting support functions out of its London headquarters to its Manchester base in a bid to reduce its overheads.

The firm is understood to be mulling the transfer of some non-legal roles, potentially covering functions such as IT and secretarial, to its seven-lawyer Manchester office following a strategic review of the business. Discussions on how many and which roles will be relocated are still at an early stage, with any move unlikely to happen this year.

The news comes as it emerges the firm previously looked into setting up a joint venture with a Manchester-based firm, which would have seen Field Fisher sell off its medical negligence business. It is understood the firms held preliminary discussions over a year ago on combining their respective personal injury practices to create a spinoff business, but talks were called off in November. The talks had not got as far as addressing branding or how it would operate.

Field Fisher's personal injury and medical negligence team currently comprises 15 London-based lawyers, eight of whom are currently partners. 

Separately, the firm is set to make a multimillion-pound investment in a new technology programme, which will be rolled out later this year. Among the areas the firm will upgrade are its phone and communications systems and its WIFI networks.

Field Fisher is voting later this month on proposed relocation of its London headquarters. The firm has put roughly 80,000 sq ft under offer over three floors of City site Riverbank House, which is sublet by US hedge fund Man Group and located near London Bridge.

Field Fisher declined to comment.

Related: Near-shoring and LPO takes hold as more top 30 firms eye moves.