Gateley Latest UK Law Firm To Cut Roles Amid Agile Working Shift

U.K. listed law firm Gateley has cut over a dozen support staff, following a redundancy consultation which concluded in December, according to a person at the firm.

The move coincides with a shift in the working practices of the firm brought about since the start of the pandemic, a spokesperson added.

Staff cuts impacted 15 members of the firm’s secretarial and business support teams, and took place across November and December.

The listed firm is currently implementing an agile-working strategy, which includes reconfiguring all of its offices to enable hot-desking, the spokesperson added.

The firm joins a number of others in concluding recent restructuring exercises.

Among other U.K. outfits to slim their ranks are: Shoosmiths and Addleshaw Goddard, which cut 43 and 19 roles respectively in December, and Fieldfisher, which cut 20 roles in November.

Pinsent Masons is currently undergoing a consultation of its support staff ranks, as is Dentons U.K. and Middle East arm, with 24 lawyer roles which cannot be filled remotely at risk of being cut.