BLM's managing partner has left the firm suddenly after just eight months.
Gary Allison assumed the Managing Partner role for a three year term when he took over from longtime MP Andrew Relton on 1 December 2016. At the time Senior Partner Mike Brown said that Allison, "has all the experience and credentials to make a real difference in the months and years ahead”.
It turns out there were just months ahead. Sources told RollOnFriday that the only evidence of Allison's departure was the quiet removal of his profile from BLM's website. There was no announcement of his exit or a replacement. When approached by RollOnFriday, a spokeswoman for BLM denied that he had been given the boot and said, “Gary Allison has decided to retire from BLM to pursue other interests. Gary would like to thank his colleagues for the last 23 years’ of support and wishes BLM all the success in the future”. Asked for the identity of the new MP, she said "we shall be announcing this next week to the firm".
If it sounds unusual for a firm to have no new managing partner in place when the old one retires, that's because it is.
BLM hurriedly announced that Vivienne Williams, a veteran partner and the head of its Manchester claims team, would be the new MP. Accepting thepoisoned chalice new position, she said, “I have worked here for almost 30 years and I have seen so much positive change". Last year BLM posted a 28% drop in profits per equity partner alongside a 3.5% increase in revenue. In June, as revealed by RollOnFriday, the firm initiated a mass axing of secretaries.
When RollOnFriday broke the news of the vanishing MP this week, which was a surprise to most BLM staff, one commented that management had been overheard describing BLM's facilities management teams as "turkeys and it's Christmas". Sure enough, this week inside sources told RollOnFriday that BLM had placed "all" its facilities management staff on notice of redundancy, with voluntary redundancy offers made to other support staff across the firm.
A spokeswoman for BLM said, "We are in the process of reviewing our corporate services team which includes facilities management". She said, "As we adapt our organisation to meet the needs of our customers and the market, it is critical that our business support departments are modernised and this proposal will see the department adopting a recognised industry structure”.
As a BLM staffer asked in RollOnFriday's Firm of the Year 2017 survey, "What's going on at BLM?"
Tip Off ROF
Gary Allison assumed the Managing Partner role for a three year term when he took over from longtime MP Andrew Relton on 1 December 2016. At the time Senior Partner Mike Brown said that Allison, "has all the experience and credentials to make a real difference in the months and years ahead”.
It turns out there were just months ahead. Sources told RollOnFriday that the only evidence of Allison's departure was the quiet removal of his profile from BLM's website. There was no announcement of his exit or a replacement. When approached by RollOnFriday, a spokeswoman for BLM denied that he had been given the boot and said, “Gary Allison has decided to retire from BLM to pursue other interests. Gary would like to thank his colleagues for the last 23 years’ of support and wishes BLM all the success in the future”. Asked for the identity of the new MP, she said "we shall be announcing this next week to the firm".
If it sounds unusual for a firm to have no new managing partner in place when the old one retires, that's because it is.
"Hello BLM, Otto is now flying the firm." |
BLM hurriedly announced that Vivienne Williams, a veteran partner and the head of its Manchester claims team, would be the new MP. Accepting the
When RollOnFriday broke the news of the vanishing MP this week, which was a surprise to most BLM staff, one commented that management had been overheard describing BLM's facilities management teams as "turkeys and it's Christmas". Sure enough, this week inside sources told RollOnFriday that BLM had placed "all" its facilities management staff on notice of redundancy, with voluntary redundancy offers made to other support staff across the firm.
A spokeswoman for BLM said, "We are in the process of reviewing our corporate services team which includes facilities management". She said, "As we adapt our organisation to meet the needs of our customers and the market, it is critical that our business support departments are modernised and this proposal will see the department adopting a recognised industry structure”.
As a BLM staffer asked in RollOnFriday's Firm of the Year 2017 survey, "What's going on at BLM?"
Comments
762
813
765
851
759
819
738
781
770
815
741
804
721
842
767
784
704
818
734
768
795
832
711
782
When I worked there in 2015 there was a Partner in the disease team (answering to [redacted]) who thought that scanning things onto the CMS was against the Data Protection Act.
Also, having a headset for your phone was a 'security risk'.
Good luck modernising the stonehenge of the Defendant Insurance legal sector.
714
801
741
828
738
790
713
806
715
780
698
804
Hey!... I thought Mr Brown said BLM are leaders....not followers.
770
799
755
817
727
794
718
809
749
793
771
781
793
737
728
812
773
826
735
795
808
799
700
804
798
818
Why go to the trouble of doing a staff survey if you’re not going to publish the results? What are you scared of Mr Brown, publish those results!
722
830
743
831
740
799
739
789
685
784
732
785
695
868
739
775
683
807
716
829
766
794
It will probably go along the lines of "more positives than negatives "....and that will be the end of it.
729
802
700
795
750
781
770
829
753
781
776
773
744
828
738
832
728
765
680
794
691
799
713
757
710
757
696
766
689
774
709
787
660
749
Then out of nowhere they self elevated themselves to the grand title of HR Director, this enabled them to have power and stroll about full of their own self importance.
They then seemed to forget that the staff have rights and needs, but are to worried about more important things like making themselves noticed by the top boys.
They even started to be able to make suggestions about how to make the top boys more money at the expense of the workers.
In return they were rewarded with inflated salaries,bonus's and swanky client party's and the like.
And of course, when serious decisions have to be made, they get the real HR staff to do the dirty work and keep out of sight.
721
804
678
780
681
781
727
823
696
786
33% either don't want to work at BLM or are unwilling to commit to a positive answer.
57% are alledgly proud too?
The latter will be partners/managers/brown noses
35% either intend to leave BLM within 12 months or unwilling to commit to a positive answer.
65% reckons BLM is the place to be?! Bawhahahahah!
The latter will be partners/managers/brown noses
723
755
738
804
688
759
711
758
724
743
Everyone talks about it openly now and don't care who hears. them.
704
750
675
775
Top quality lawyers don't put in the lowest bids for work because they are so needy. They don't take clients to mens clubs.
They value their junior staff recognising that they are the ones who feather their nests.
708
764
..could be another story for ROF!!
728
738
747
765
730
774