BCLP has confirmed that it is cutting jobs in its business support team on both sides of the Atlantic.
The firm is currently in the consultation process and so declined to provide a figure for how many roles will be cut, although it said around 8% of its global business services population would be affected, mostly in its US and UK offices.
BCLP said it was undergoing a broader business modernisation programme that involved initiatives to streamline operations and appropriately reshape teams to support its growth and client focus.
Firm CEO Steve Baumer commented: “As we look to the future, we need to ensure our operations are fit to support our growth ambitions and client focus. Our strategy is focused on building a stronger, more agile firm that can deliver long-term, sustainable value to both our clients and our people.”
The firm said it was offering enhanced redundancy packages and additional support for affected colleagues.
“We recognise the impact changes like these can have on our people, and we do not take these decisions lightly. Our people remain at the heart of BCLP, and we are fully committed to supporting affected colleagues with care, fairness and transparency throughout,” BCLP added in a statement.
BCLP is not alone in making redundancies recently, citing the need to streamline their businesses and changing client needs. DWF confirmed last month it had launched a redundancy consultation for more than 100 lawyers and staff, while earlier this year Pinsent Masons confirmed it would cut a significant portion of its team in Germany and CMS culled 15 roles from its real estate transactions practice in London, in its second redundancy round in 18 months.
In Spring last year BCLP made around 50 mostly business services roles redundant across the US and UK, with some lawyers in the US also affected. That followed it cutting 47 staff roles globally in 2023 after a review of support ratios found excess capacity in secretarial and administrative functions.
BCLP grew revenue 2% to $860m in 2024, following two years of decline. That figure is about the same the firm posted in in 2020 when it had 1,370 lawyers, according to law.com, although now the firm is leaner, with a total full-time equivalent head count of 1,097 in 2024 – down 7.5% from the year before.
In March the firm confirmed it would wind down its Asia operations and shutter its offices in Hong Kong and Singapore by the end of this year, although, going the other way, in February it announced plans to open two offices in Saudi Arabia.
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