Blavo & Co Solicitors has started a consultation after warning that all its staff are at risk of redundancy.
The firm bills itself as the largest mental health practice in the UK, but also specialises in criminal, immigration and personal injury law. It has 18 offices across the UK including Birmingham, Cardiff, Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle and employs 240 people.
On Thursday, founder John Blavo informed staff that they are all at risk of redundancy. The firm's website lists 64 solicitors, five legal executives, 28 paralegals, 33 non-fee-earners and 20 trainees, with 70 recent hires yet to be added (and who possibly never will be, now). However the firm would not comment on whether its 19 partners are included in the consultation.
Blavo, who set up the firm in 1997 and runs it alongside practice director Fred Blavo and policy director Lynn Blavo, blamed legal aid cutbacks. But he also said that the firm has been "considering productivity" following "a recent staff performance review". Although making every employee redundant as a result of a bad appraisal does sound a mighty harsh reaction .
Blavo said that the firm had "no other choice other than to restructure", and has initiated a consultation across all departments and offices. He added, “It is important to stress that the company remains financially strong but we have to take remedial action in order to ensure continued operational strength".
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The firm bills itself as the largest mental health practice in the UK, but also specialises in criminal, immigration and personal injury law. It has 18 offices across the UK including Birmingham, Cardiff, Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle and employs 240 people.
On Thursday, founder John Blavo informed staff that they are all at risk of redundancy. The firm's website lists 64 solicitors, five legal executives, 28 paralegals, 33 non-fee-earners and 20 trainees, with 70 recent hires yet to be added (and who possibly never will be, now). However the firm would not comment on whether its 19 partners are included in the consultation.
Blavo, who set up the firm in 1997 and runs it alongside practice director Fred Blavo and policy director Lynn Blavo, blamed legal aid cutbacks. But he also said that the firm has been "considering productivity" following "a recent staff performance review". Although making every employee redundant as a result of a bad appraisal does sound a mighty harsh reaction .
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"I'm afraid you scored three out of five for attitude so we're putting the entire firm into a redundancy consultation." |
Blavo said that the firm had "no other choice other than to restructure", and has initiated a consultation across all departments and offices. He added, “It is important to stress that the company remains financially strong but we have to take remedial action in order to ensure continued operational strength".
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Blavo and Co Solicitors Ltd
Head office Address:19 John Street, London, WC1N 2DL, EnglandTel:0207 0252 020
This organisation has 13 offices | There are 98 solicitors at this organisation
I've never heard of them either, but then again although I have my own mental health and that of my friends, family and colleagues to worry about, it fortunately hasn't resulted in any legal intervention...
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Seems like the employers rather than the employees were the problem...
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They have also not paid SMP to some employees and haven't paid back expenses.