Legal News

Report: Clifford Chance to Cut Up to 80 London Associates

By Dan Slater

News from across the pond: Clifford Chance, according to the London Times, “has said up to 80 of its 1,000 London lawyers face the axe.”

Jeremy Sandelson, London managing partner, told the Times: “We have not taken this decision lightly. However, like any other business, we have to respond to prevailing market conditions.”

Wondering what “face the axe” means? The firm, according to the Times, has “announced redundancy consultations,” which begin today. The cuts will reportedly affect associate lawyers across all practice areas. “Redundancy consultations?” Ah, this is why we love the Brits.

In October, the firm told 20 associates in the firm’s U.S. Litigation & Dispute Resolution practice, located in New York and D.C., that they would be laid off “as sluggishness in litigation matters continues despite market volatility that historically has produced countercyclical balance.”

In other Clifford Chance news, on Tuesday the firm announced that William Blumenthal is joining the firm from the Federal Trade Commission, where he’s been general counsel.

Full post as published by Law Blog - WSJ.com on January 08, 2009 (boomark / email).