McGrigors to cut 40 jobs in UK-wide redundancy round
Edinburgh-headquartered McGrigors has launched a redundancy consultation with the aim of cutting 40 jobs across its UK network of offices.
The redundancies are expected to affect fee-earners and support staff and will take place across the real estate, banking, projects and procurement, corporate, and risk advisory practice areas. The redundancy consultation, which began on Monday, is expected to conclude on 1 November.
In a statement a firm spokesperson said: “In May 2009 we announced a series of cost-saving measures which we hoped would allow us to ride out the worst of the downturn, protect jobs and safeguard the long-term health of the business in the event of an economic recovery.
“Unfortunately, over the past 12 months it has become increasingly clear that an immediate recovery is not going to emerge, and that we are instead facing a sustained period of market uncertainty – particularly while the effects of the public sector spending review become clear.
“This is not a matter which has been entered into lightly, and we do so only as a last resort. We’ve always endeavoured to do the right thing by our people and believe that everything possible has been done - such as secondments to clients or other departments, sabbaticals, flexible working, pay freezes - for as long as possible, to avoid this measure.”
McGrigors put in a fairly strong performance in the 2009-10 financial year, with turnover increasing 10 per cent to £69m.
While his meant the firm overtook Dundas & Wilson as the leading Scottish-headquartered firm by turnover (11 October 2011), the rise was the result of the McGrigors’ October 2009 merger with Belfast firm L’Estrange & Brett (28 August 2009) rather than representing underlying growth.
McGrigors last cut jobs in May 2008, when it laid off nine real estate fee-earners (30 May 2008).
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Readers' comments (81)
Anonymous | 22-Oct-2010 11:35 am
Anonymous@3.27am - I've been at the firm for 8 years and can confirm there is no way Mcgrigors remotely resembles the place it once used to be.
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Anonymous | 22-Oct-2010 11:45 am
Anonymous @ 6.21:
"There are plenty of jobs available for lawyers".
Are you having a laugh?
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Bring back L'Estrange!! | 22-Oct-2010 11:59 am
The atmosphere in Belfast is one of fear! No one knows what the hell is happening but further job losses seem likely. agreeing employment T&Cs with McGrigors after the merger was like pulling teeth with a rusty spoon but a few months later they can't even maintain job levels. What next.......???
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Anonymous | 22-Oct-2010 12:49 pm
BAN FRUIT IN THE MORNINGS.
Oh, they already did that. Start charging for water??
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Anonymous | 22-Oct-2010 1:24 pm
Maybe they'll bring back the lunch vouchers!
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buy your own kilt? | 22-Oct-2010 1:46 pm
is it true that the are now making staff pay for their own kilts and private editions of braveheart?
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notaMastersfan | 22-Oct-2010 3:48 pm
i'm ex-Mcg and not a huge fan of the management there. I spent 4 years working in one offiice and billed well each year. I bumped into the managing partner one morning and he asked if I had seen a fee earner with my name.....? Arrogant clowns with zero business skills.!!
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Anonymous | 22-Oct-2010 3:55 pm
mostly good people there below p'ship level (some good p'ners too) but I agree with the mismanagement and partner/fee earner ration comments.
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Lee Easton | 22-Oct-2010 6:35 pm
A McGrigors board member who is also the head of one of the teams worst hit by these job losses was so concerned about his staff, that on the day of the announcement he was to be found holidaying in the Caribbean.
Nice touch.
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Anonymous | 22-Oct-2010 7:17 pm
What way is this firm being run? Redundancies yet they went to St Andrews for the partners conference all flash and no substance!
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Anonymous | 22-Oct-2010 11:15 pm
anonymous at 11:45:
Look at the Journal every month - plenty of jobs advertised and if you have the drive and talent, you can succeeed anywhere. I suspect the people complaining most are the ones who know deep down that they can't cut it without the big firm comfort blanket. For the most part, the old legal model is not sustainable in the new climate and it's time to stop thinking that anyone owes you a living and go out and prove that you are good enough to catch, kill and eat. No firm can carry passengers now. I actually think Management have done a really good job in the last two years. What would anyone out there have done differently?
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Anonymous | 23-Oct-2010 0:28 am
So with fewer support staff again - wonder what clients would think of paying top whack for us typing our own letters - anyone thinking of signing up for a secretarial course?
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mcgrigorsarearubbishfirm | 25-Oct-2010 5:09 pm
This is easily one of the most read articles ever to appear on this site. I work in the Belfast office and I'm on the list for potential redundancies. I walked passed one of the partners' office last week and saw him typing a positive message on here so I thought I would tell the truth.
Mcgrigors is a complete mess. An utter shambles in fact. They messed us about after the merger with L&B with the terms of our new contracts. They were arrogant in their approach, treated us like pieces of meat and sent some clown over to "present" to us. I suspected from the start that McGrigors would not be a positive experience for the vast majority of us. I only wish I was wrong.
Igore the majority of the positive postings on here as they are being planted by McGrigors.
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Alumni | 25-Oct-2010 5:27 pm
As an ex Mgs (and former trainee), Mgs changed for good when it merged with KLegal. It handed over too much power to London and lost its sparkle then. The robust management team that actually knew how to run a firm, kept staff morale high and created a "one firm" atmosphere have either gone or have been silenced by London. And to think in those days, NQ were given a golden hello for staying on !!
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Anonymous | 25-Oct-2010 11:05 pm
Lee Easton I salute you !
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EC4 | 26-Oct-2010 7:33 am
I have genuinely never heard of this Scottish firm. Let's move on. Now.
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Anonymous | 26-Oct-2010 7:37 pm
How pathetic that a partner feels he has to post positive comments (mcgrigorsarearubbishfirm post)
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Anonymous | 27-Oct-2010 12:37 pm
EC4
Law outside London? Gosh, it must exist.
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Anonymous | 27-Oct-2010 2:59 pm
Typical law firm. Partners all generally all v.good solicitors but have little skill in management or corporate strategy. McGrigors ego's have got the better of them. L&B in Belfast died for the same reasons - partners ordering new £50k BMW's on the same week redundancies were made!
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habika | 28-Oct-2010 4:04 am
I appreciate the concern which is been rose. The things need to be sorted out because it is about the individual but it can be with everyone.
habika
Conveyancing Solicitors
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