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DLA restructuring to dramatically scale back Gulf presence

Measured over a full year, the headcount reduction well exceeds 39%. DLA claimed a headcount of 120 lawyers in late 2008/early 2009. What is the headcount today (excluding redundancies and resignations currently in notice period)? There is no link between the Australian and Middle East practices (if DLA’s current Middle East activities could be described as a ‘practice’). DLA is straining to provide cover for those partners who are being shipped off to Australia. Anonymous @ 4:15 is right that DLA is avoiding payment of minimum statutory settlements. This is just part of the story. The ‘sabbatical’ program that DLA glorified as a creative measure to save jobs was nothing more than a calculated scheme to defer redundancy costs by sending juniors off to far flung places like East Timor for 6 months to volunteer, for a pitiful AED 10,000/month (non volunteer ‘study’ sabbaticals were remunerated at AED 6,000/month). Some of these juniors were made redundant their first day back to the UAE offices from ‘sabbatical.’ Others were made redundant by phone, while overseas. Anonymous @ 2:07 must be a member of that endangered species known as the DLA Piper Middle East employee. The whining about being singled out unfairly by the press is recognisable, and so many Lawyer, Legal Week and Chambers articles ago. Spare the sobbing for when you are made redundant. For now know that DLA in the Middle East is in the news because of an unjustifiable hiring spree, inexcusable ignorance of the Middle East market, indefensible maltreatment of employees, and incredibly poor internal and external communications. Rumours are rife about a DLA legal practise license withdrawal. High praise to the authorities who have done well to clear the rubbish from the legal market. Good riddance!

9-Dec-2009

10:56 am