Irwin Mitchell is the latest firm to announce that staff are at risk of redundancy, citing Covid and WFH changes as reasons for the cuts.

110 employees will potentially face the axe, with the vast majority being in business services, along with two fee-earners.

“Our ongoing review into the impact of Covid-19 has identified a number of roles that have changed significantly," said group chief executive Andrew Tucker. "Our rapid move to be more digital, and near total home-working, has meant we’ve adopted new processes, new ways of connecting and collaborating and reduced our reliance on more traditional paper document handling." Although, not all of the "new ways of connecting" were embraced by staff.  

The firm has started its consultation process - an Irwin Mitchell spokesman told RollOnFriday that the firm is "committed to considering alternative proposals and any possible redeployment" for the impacted staff.

The potential cuts, follow the firm's decision to furlough 10% of its employees in April. The firm's spokesman said the "majority" of furloughed staff are returning to the business, although he confirmed to RollOnFriday that 170 people still remain on furlough.

Aside from the impact of Covid, the firm is also facing other potential pitfalls, as it recently launched an internal review in response to legal reforms that will shake the PI industry.

Other firms have also made redundancies as a result of the pandemic, including Reed Smith, Dorsey & Whitney, Brethertons and Fladgate. With the government's furlough scheme finishing at the end of October, other firms may follow suit.

Tip Off ROF

Comments

Anonymous 14 August 20 09:09

With the government's furlough scheme finishing at the end of October, Slater and Gordon will follow suit.

Anonymous 14 August 20 10:23

Some secretaries have accepted 90% pay to work hard during Covid while other secretaries have been earning 80% sat on their backsides while furloughed.  A lot of resentment amongst the hard workers towards the furloughed who are all in the same redundancy pool.

Hey nonny nonny 14 August 20 12:45

Anonymous @ 10.23 - that sucks but the secretaries who worked should focus their fury on the firm not their colleagues. Not the colleagues’ fault they were on furlough and legally unable to work! 

Anonymous 14 August 20 13:50

Most firms are consolidating their work force and it is not surprising that the traditional PA role has eroded due to use of technology, efficiency of fee earners etc. This has been a long time coming and Covid has been the catalyst to speed this up. I predict many firms will follow suit

Anon. 14 August 20 17:14

Working from home issues will be common going forward. Shoosmiths announced that it will be assumed that everyone is able to WFH. Now that has changed, right after all the news stories reported it (funny that....)

We have been given so many hurdles to jump over to WFH for even one day a week that it makes it virtually impossible. 

Anonymous 14 August 20 20:02

Anonymous @ 10:23 please remember that secretaries who were furloughed we’re not given a choice. Actually most of us would have loved to be working and not “sat on our backsides”. Hate on the firm not your colleagues please. 

Fek em 14 August 20 21:07

Aye up wiv ‘ad tu layz off a few plebs but us partners ahh all reet.  Up the werkers, the werkin class can kiss us ass dah la la la dah de dar 

Anonymous 16 August 20 00:29

Can now use the Cov19 cover as a way to thin the ranks and question why they need so many people with long titles and overlapping functions. They also need to think hard about why they need so many offices which always seemed the unwanted legacies from failed mergers.

Thomas Eggar employees 16 August 20 19:39

Not many left.  As with all takeovers, the good people move elsewhere because they refuse to put up with the bull.

Anonymous 19 August 20 13:50

To be fair ROF are calling out firms like Irwin Mitchell and Slater and Gordon who don’t give a toss about employees or customers!

Anonymous 19 August 20 15:02

The Pritchard Englefield lot got shafted twice over - once by Thomas Eggar and then by IM.

lurking 19 August 20 17:15

More people will be made redundnat no one is safe! The government need to extend the furlough scheme until end of jan 2021! Bojo is just spending money on rubbish like the PPE that they cannot use! 

Major Cat Lawyer 19 August 20 18:44

I see BLM has instigated a 3rd round of redundancies. It will close 2 offices too. Bad times.

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