BLM's managing partner has left the firm suddenly after just eight months.
Gary Allison assumed the Managing Partner role for a three year term when he took over from longtime MP Andrew Relton on 1 December 2016. At the time Senior Partner Mike Brown said that Allison, "has all the experience and credentials to make a real difference in the months and years ahead”.
It turns out there were just months ahead. Sources told RollOnFriday that the only evidence of Allison's departure was the quiet removal of his profile from BLM's website. There was no announcement of his exit or a replacement. When approached by RollOnFriday, a spokeswoman for BLM denied that he had been given the boot and said, “Gary Allison has decided to retire from BLM to pursue other interests. Gary would like to thank his colleagues for the last 23 years’ of support and wishes BLM all the success in the future”. Asked for the identity of the new MP, she said "we shall be announcing this next week to the firm".
If it sounds unusual for a firm to have no new managing partner in place when the old one retires, that's because it is.
BLM hurriedly announced that Vivienne Williams, a veteran partner and the head of its Manchester claims team, would be the new MP. Accepting thepoisoned chalice new position, she said, “I have worked here for almost 30 years and I have seen so much positive change". Last year BLM posted a 28% drop in profits per equity partner alongside a 3.5% increase in revenue. In June, as revealed by RollOnFriday, the firm initiated a mass axing of secretaries.
When RollOnFriday broke the news of the vanishing MP this week, which was a surprise to most BLM staff, one commented that management had been overheard describing BLM's facilities management teams as "turkeys and it's Christmas". Sure enough, this week inside sources told RollOnFriday that BLM had placed "all" its facilities management staff on notice of redundancy, with voluntary redundancy offers made to other support staff across the firm.
A spokeswoman for BLM said, "We are in the process of reviewing our corporate services team which includes facilities management". She said, "As we adapt our organisation to meet the needs of our customers and the market, it is critical that our business support departments are modernised and this proposal will see the department adopting a recognised industry structure”.
As a BLM staffer asked in RollOnFriday's Firm of the Year 2017 survey, "What's going on at BLM?"
Tip Off ROF
Gary Allison assumed the Managing Partner role for a three year term when he took over from longtime MP Andrew Relton on 1 December 2016. At the time Senior Partner Mike Brown said that Allison, "has all the experience and credentials to make a real difference in the months and years ahead”.
It turns out there were just months ahead. Sources told RollOnFriday that the only evidence of Allison's departure was the quiet removal of his profile from BLM's website. There was no announcement of his exit or a replacement. When approached by RollOnFriday, a spokeswoman for BLM denied that he had been given the boot and said, “Gary Allison has decided to retire from BLM to pursue other interests. Gary would like to thank his colleagues for the last 23 years’ of support and wishes BLM all the success in the future”. Asked for the identity of the new MP, she said "we shall be announcing this next week to the firm".
If it sounds unusual for a firm to have no new managing partner in place when the old one retires, that's because it is.
"Hello BLM, Otto is now flying the firm." |
BLM hurriedly announced that Vivienne Williams, a veteran partner and the head of its Manchester claims team, would be the new MP. Accepting the
When RollOnFriday broke the news of the vanishing MP this week, which was a surprise to most BLM staff, one commented that management had been overheard describing BLM's facilities management teams as "turkeys and it's Christmas". Sure enough, this week inside sources told RollOnFriday that BLM had placed "all" its facilities management staff on notice of redundancy, with voluntary redundancy offers made to other support staff across the firm.
A spokeswoman for BLM said, "We are in the process of reviewing our corporate services team which includes facilities management". She said, "As we adapt our organisation to meet the needs of our customers and the market, it is critical that our business support departments are modernised and this proposal will see the department adopting a recognised industry structure”.
As a BLM staffer asked in RollOnFriday's Firm of the Year 2017 survey, "What's going on at BLM?"
Comments
782
821
778
865
774
837
755
803
774
828
751
818
737
856
790
797
720
832
751
776
810
841
717
798
When I worked there in 2015 there was a Partner in the disease team (answering to [redacted]) who thought that scanning things onto the CMS was against the Data Protection Act.
Also, having a headset for your phone was a 'security risk'.
Good luck modernising the stonehenge of the Defendant Insurance legal sector.
731
814
755
849
757
801
728
820
739
793
706
816
Hey!... I thought Mr Brown said BLM are leaders....not followers.
784
807
762
834
742
806
739
815
770
805
781
793
808
755
740
830
784
842
752
806
831
808
723
820
822
826
Why go to the trouble of doing a staff survey if you’re not going to publish the results? What are you scared of Mr Brown, publish those results!
737
840
752
841
750
815
745
800
706
807
743
799
715
874
757
789
712
815
724
847
783
802
It will probably go along the lines of "more positives than negatives "....and that will be the end of it.
745
815
716
812
761
793
788
840
770
792
792
789
755
847
753
843
741
785
690
808
699
810
724
772
730
763
711
778
704
785
717
806
672
762
Then out of nowhere they self elevated themselves to the grand title of HR Director, this enabled them to have power and stroll about full of their own self importance.
They then seemed to forget that the staff have rights and needs, but are to worried about more important things like making themselves noticed by the top boys.
They even started to be able to make suggestions about how to make the top boys more money at the expense of the workers.
In return they were rewarded with inflated salaries,bonus's and swanky client party's and the like.
And of course, when serious decisions have to be made, they get the real HR staff to do the dirty work and keep out of sight.
734
822
691
797
689
797
744
834
715
798
33% either don't want to work at BLM or are unwilling to commit to a positive answer.
57% are alledgly proud too?
The latter will be partners/managers/brown noses
35% either intend to leave BLM within 12 months or unwilling to commit to a positive answer.
65% reckons BLM is the place to be?! Bawhahahahah!
The latter will be partners/managers/brown noses
735
765
755
819
704
782
721
774
734
757
Everyone talks about it openly now and don't care who hears. them.
723
761
692
790
Top quality lawyers don't put in the lowest bids for work because they are so needy. They don't take clients to mens clubs.
They value their junior staff recognising that they are the ones who feather their nests.
718
788
..could be another story for ROF!!
750
746
760
776
744
788