Macfarlanes launches second round of redundancy talks

The firm has put 14 support staff, mostly secretaries, and one professional support lawyer under review, blaming market conditions.

It is the second round of cuts at Macfarlanes. The firm made 14 staff, including seven fee earners, redundanct following a consultation in January (19 January 2009).

The firm has also announced that it is to take on 18 of the 21 trainees due to qualify in November 2009.

Senior partner Charles Martin said the three trainees not retained had wanted to work in areas where there were no vacancies.

On the latest redundancy consultation, he said: “It’s regrettable that market conditions mean we’ve had to take this decision.”

Macfarlanes has seen its core corporate and private equity practices impacted by the credit crunch. The firm’s closest rival, Travers Smith, has also cut lawyer numbers, making four associates redundant in its real estate and corporate practices at the end of 2008.