A&O Shearman has cut a number of business services roles, the firm confirmed today (7 May).
Around 20 roles across the firm’s finance, marketing and IT teams are affected, according to a report in Law.com. GLP understands no partners or fee earners have been included in the cuts.
An A&O Shearman spokesperson commented: “Over the past two years, we have been investing significantly in our central business teams, as well as in technology and data, to deliver smarter and more consistent ways of working across a firm of our scale and ambition.
“That work has created new roles and reshaped others. In some areas, this has meant limited and localised headcount reductions. Where that has been necessary, we are working closely to support affected colleagues.”
The move sees A&O Shearman become the latest international law firm to cut non-legal roles amid increased investment across the profession in generative AI technology, which has the ability to automate some legal work and related tasks, such as legal research.
Baker McKenzie confirmed in February it was likely to cut business services roles following a review driven in part by the growing use of AI, with dozens of roles potentially axed across research, marketing and secretarial.
Last November, Clifford Chance cut 10% of its UK business services staff – equating to around 50 roles – while Freshfields cited AI when it laid off paralegals in its legal support hub in Manchester in September.
A&O Shearman said it would cut 10% of its global partnership in late 2024 following the merger that May between Allen & Overy and Shearman & Sterling that created the firm. Legal Business reported last October that around 130 partners had left the firm since the union went live.
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