Dentons has shut its Watford office in response to the coronavirus pandemic, according to two people with knowledge of the situation.

A message sent to a party that works with the base and seen by Law.com International's Legal Week, said that the firm has closed its office temporarily until the 18th March.

According to the firm's website, the Watford office has 15 lawyers including four partners. The firm opened in Watford in 2016, following the acquisition of legacy Matthew Arnold & Baldwin's banking litigation team.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the firm said: "Our global and regional leadership teams are continuing to closely consult with public health and government authorities, and to follow the required action steps and best practices as directed by these officials."

"As the only global law firm operating in most of the countries where there is a significant outbreak of COVID-19, our priorities are to protect the health of our 19,000+ colleagues and their families and to support our clients around the world to manage the impacts of the virus."

"The global CEO of Dentons is chairing a global pandemic preparedness taskforce to ensure we can be nimble and consider the most up-to-date information from public health agencies and government authorities, share best practices with our people around the world, and take the necessary actions to support clients as they navigate business challenges created by COVID-19."

Baker McKenzie temporarily closed its London office in February over coronavirus concerns.

In recent weeks, many firms have put in place other measures in an effort to avoid the spread of the virus to their employees and clients.

Many have cancelled their events and annual partners' conferences, while some have limited or even banned international travel.

Elsewhere, a number of law firms including Slaughter and May, Clifford Chance and Hogan Lovells are undertaking stress-tests of their remote-working capabilities in preparation for potential closures.

|

Read More:

Hogan Lovells Latest Firm to Roll Out Remote Working Tests in Response to Virus