London skyline

Kirkland alumni club: Willkie secures double-partner hire in London

Willkie Farr & Gallagher has secured its long-awaited hire of two partners from Kirkland & Ellis, as they join former colleague Claire McDaid to expand its City private equity team. Gavin Gordon and David Arnold are to join Willkie in the City, following on from the firm’s hire of Dechert tax partner Jane Scobie last […]

dollars

Shearman introduces voluntary paid leave scheme for all staff

Shearman & Sterling has introduced a voluntary leave scheme for its lawyers as part of wider coronavirus-related measures. The US firm is giving its staff the choice to take between three and six months of work on 30 per cent of their usual pay, with the amount increasing to 40 per cent if lawyers who […]

madrid

CMS lays off Madrid lawyers and staff while HSF goes to four-day week in Spain

Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) is one of two international firms that have been forced to implement cost-saving measures in their Spanish offices this week due to the coronavirus pandemic. HSF has told its Madrid employees that they will work a four-day week from 1 May, cutting their salaries by a corresponding 20 per cent. Meanwhile, […]

money

Orrick sets out UK voluntary associate pay cut scheme

Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe has implemented UK-specific measures to tackle the economic uncertainty of Covid-19. The firm has put in place a salary reduction scheme for associates in the UK that is voluntary and refers to those who have already received their 2020 promotions and salary hikes. Under local regulations, lawyers can accept a reduction […]

barclays

Barclays sets its sights on new panel of alternative legal providers

Barclays is looking to appoint a new panel entirely made up of alternative legal services providers. The process will kick off in the coming months and is expected to be completed by the end of the year subject to the current Covid-19 situation. For the first time, the bank is looking to include companies such […]