Freshfields, seen as one of the more traditional large firms, appears to be leap-frogging others - not just with this plan for a very substantial back-room hub but also with another strategy to break into consultancy. Jobs which look likely to be moved from the Fleet St premises in London to the planned Manchester base are expected to come from several support departments - IT, billing, marketing, design and some paralegal services. 

Phased transfer

An initial plan to shift 1,000 people - or their jobs - is said to have been cut back by a fifth following internal discussions between the head of the new venture, Paul Lomas, formerly head of disputes resolution, and colleagues.  The plan will be implemented in stages - with the first phase expected to happen in the second half of this year. The aim will be to relocate individuals but is likely to involve redundancies as some people will not be able or willing to make the 200-mile transfer. Source: Legal Business