Biglaw, Layoffs

Another Law Firm Merger That Could Lead To Layoffs

As many as 32 positions could be affected.

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Congratulations to Dentons on its pending merger with Maclay Murray & Spens, announced in July and expected to close in late October or early November. The Dentons acquisition of Maclay Murray, one of Scotland’s largest independent firms, gives the Biglaw behemoth an even stronger platform in the United Kingdom. It also represents continued growth for Dentons, which in the past year has expanded in countries ranging from Mexico to Myanmar and Barbados to Brazil.

Mergers often give rise to possible layoffs — or “redundancies,” in Brit speak — and this transaction is no exception. From Legal Week:

Dentons has begun a redundancy consultation ahead of its proposed combination with Maclay Murray & Spens that could see up to 32 business services roles cut across three of the leading Scottish firm’s offices.

The 32 potentially impacted roles are in Maclays’ finance, facilities, human resources, information technology and marketing teams in Edinburgh, Glasgow and London. The firm’s other base in Aberdeen, Scotland, will be unaffected.

In a joint statement, Dentons and Maclays said that “all individuals who are potentially affected by the proposed redundancies have now been informed,” and the firms “will be providing support to impacted individuals throughout.” No lawyers appear to be affected.

Good luck to the firms as they complete their combination, and good luck to any individuals who might be affected by potential cuts.

If your firm or organization is reducing the ranks of its lawyers or staff, whether through open layoffs, stealth layoffs, or voluntary buyouts, please don’t hesitate to let us know; this is a subject we cover quite closely. Please feel free to email us or text us (646-820-8477). Thanks.

Dentons Reviewing 32 Support Roles After Scottish Deal [Legal Week]

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DBL square headshotDavid Lat is the founder and managing editor of Above the Law and the author of Supreme Ambitions: A Novel. He previously worked as a federal prosecutor in Newark, New Jersey; a litigation associate at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz; and a law clerk to Judge Diarmuid F. O’Scannlain of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. You can connect with David on Twitter (@DavidLat), LinkedIn, and Facebook, and you can reach him by email at dlat@abovethelaw.com.

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