Simmons & Simmons is making redundancies across its London office.

RollOnFriday understands that lawyers in the firm's banking, corporate and real estate practices are affected. An inside source said that the firm was trying to keep the move "hush hush". Sorry, Simmons.

A spokeswoman downplayed the redundancies, telling RollOnFriday that Simmons was making "a very small number of roles redundant at this time". However, she declined to specify how many lawyers constitute a very small number, saying the firm was "unable" to provide further details.

  "Nothing to see here"

In another worrying sign, RollOnFriday has been told that there are very few NQ spots on offer at the firm. An insider claimed that most trainees are "leaving anyways due to an increasingly toxic office culture". In April the firm refused to respond when RollOnFriday discovered that it had obscured the fact that it was only retaining 54% of its spring trainee intake. Challenged to release this autumn's figure, its spokeswoman said the stats would be announced in September. Fingers crossed they're healthier than its lawyers predict.
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Comments

Anonymous 04 August 16 22:15

The magic circle firms have been asking most of their senior associates to leave for over a year now.

Anonymous 04 August 16 23:41

This has been in the pipeline for years. A grade A client list for many departments but grade B/C work and suffers the corresponding downward cost pressure more than most as a result. Competing against the MC and top US firms for work from the investment banking elite with their enormous legal panels and huge purchasing power is not a strategy that leads to great riches. Add to that the attempt to be full service and truly global...

Anonymous 05 August 16 10:16

If I've learned anything from The Good Wife, they should all go suddenly and start their own firm and in less than a year the Simmons & Simmons Managing Partner will apply for a job there and Michael J Fox will buy them out.

True story.

Anonymous 05 August 16 11:34

I listened at university, so I'm not an employment lawyer but... If they are making roles redundant don't they have to consult and state the number of roles at risk? The spokeswoman said they were "unable" to provide details. Sounds a bit like a flawed process...

Anonymous 05 August 16 13:02

As an in house GC, this has been long coming for a number of City firms. Magic Circle doesn't offer the best quality advice, service or cost. We no longer have any on our panel any more.

Anonymous 05 August 16 14:21

the absence of a public statement on this suggests that these are not the last to go... Good luck to their juniors and trainees!

Anonymous 05 August 16 14:25

Used to work there. Totally rubbish firm and management treat their staff poorly. Sad to hear people will be made redundant, though.

Anonymous 05 August 16 15:17

@12:15 It was just a general comment. I joined a magic circle firm a few years ago and, since around a year ago, almost two thirds of the senior associates in my department have been asked to leave on multiple occasions. It was a big surprise to me. So while I am sure Simmons & Simmons associates are disappointed about this, I am saying that this seems to be a general trend amongst law firms, albeit one that seems to be very much swept under the table.

Anonymous 05 August 16 17:31

10:34 - as an employment lawyer who listened from time to time at university: 1) they may have to collectively consult depending on numbers otherwise individual consultation suffices and 2) I'm not aware of any legislation that requires them to provide any details to the press - however you might be aware of something that you picked up on when you were listening at university when I was asleep so do feel free to enlighten us.

Anonymous 05 August 16 17:54

I wish someone would put me out of my misery and make me redundant from this profession! You spend 4 years bored staring at books, then the rest of your life bored staring at a screen.

Anonymous 05 August 16 17:59

I'd be surprised from, what I've heard, if their cap markets team isn't affected by this...they really look in need of a US tie-up quickly...

Anonymous 06 August 16 07:48

"The magic circle firms have been asking most of their senior associates to leave for over a year now"

No they haven't. I hope this helps.

Anonymous 06 August 16 20:26

@6:48 When a turkey farts in the desert, what sound does it make? When you can answer this question, my child, only then you will have found true wisdom.

Anonymous 07 August 16 11:34

I predict-
no pay rise for juniors
no pay cut for partners
more layoffs in November
another office closure by March
better profits by April
fully keeping with tradition.

Anonymous 07 August 16 15:48

Anon @ 11:58: It isn't spin. No more senior associates being pushed out at my shop than usual. The statement is clearly bullsh1t, either coming from someone who is extrapolating their own department across the whole of the MC firms or from wishful schadenfreude.

Anonymous 07 August 16 20:41

Perhaps if you're at a sh1t shop, pet, but some of us are doing very well out of all of this.

Anonymous 11 August 16 14:05

Question: are law firms expected to follow the Acas Code of Practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures (http://www.acas.org.uk/?articleid=2174)? I understand that failure to follow the Code doesn't make a person or organisation liable to proceedings, however, an employment tribunal will take it into account when considering relevant cases. I wonder whether asking asking associates to leave without a formal disciplinary procedure or a formal redundancy process means that the associates can ignore the request and stick around for as long as they need...