Herbert Smith is to cut up to 84 members of staff from its London office. Salaries will be frozen at 2008-09 levels, meaning an associate moving from one year’s post-qualification experience (PQE) to two years’ PQE will remain on £71,000. The firm said the job cuts would affect 33 people in its corporate practice, with fee-earners, professional support lawyers and paralegals likely to lose jobs. The real estate practice will lose up to nine positions while up to 21 secretarial roles and 21 support staff will have their positions reviewed.