Fieldfisher launches agile working in the UK
Firm to allow all UK lawyers to work from home for up to one day per week as Shearman and Mayer Brown make similar plans
April 13, 2016 at 12:03 AM
2 minute read
UK firm Fieldfisher has introduced agile working into all of its legal practices in the UK.
The move follows the conclusion of a successful pilot scheme in its dispute resolution practice.
It will allow lawyers to work from home for up to one day per week as long as it will not have a detrimental effect on client service. Support staff may also request to work from home on an occasional basis.
Fieldfisher has 46 lawyers, including 14 partners, in its UK dispute resolution practice. A roll out of the new system across the UK will affect 315 lawyers including 106 partners.
Fieldfisher's managing partner Michael Chissick (pictured) said: "Our agile working policy goes beyond simply approving flexible working requests for parents, although it dovetails well with our desire to be a great workplace for them. It is about improving overall operational efficiency, responsiveness and client delivery whilst providing a better work-life balance and flexibility for all."
The firm is also looking into ways to introduce agile working in other parts of its business.
For example, it has recently introduced a core hours, or flexitime, policy for some of its business services departments. Flexitime means that employees will choose when to start and end work within agreed limits but work certain core hours every day.
The news comes just days after two US firms revealed they had plans to introduce agile working in their London offices.
Most recently, Shearman confirmed it was considering plans to bring in agile working in the City after it introduced a policy to allow its US-based associates to work from home two days a month. It has had an informal system – where flexible working was at the discretion of managers – in place for several years.
Shearman has 185 lawyers in London including 42 partners.
Mayer Brown is also currently trialling agile working in its London construction department. It has around 32 lawyers in the practice including 12 partners.
If the pilot is successful its 225 London lawyers, including 87 partners, would be eligible for the new system.
Other UK firms to roll out more flexible types of working in London recently include Herbert Smith Freehills in August and Nabarro in November.
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