Clifford Chance to Associates: Maybe You Should Quit Before We Fire You

Clifford Chance LLP LLP is in talks with associates about voluntary redundancies.

The firm is offering associates the chance to leave the firm voluntarily, while proceeding with a formal redundancy consultation that could see up to 80 fee-earner jobs in London affected.

In particular, the firm is trying to thin out its finance group.

Redundancy packages on offer for Clifford Chance associates have been cited as some of the most generous in London, with payouts worth up to five months of an associate’s salary.

The redundancy consultation comes as Clifford Chance last week announced that it had launched a review of its partnership that is expected to see a number of departures at both salary and equity partner level.

Clifford Chance LLP is the largest law firm in the world, both by number of lawyers and revenue, and a component of the UK’s “Magic Circle” of leading law firms. It is a prestigious international practice with its principal office at Torchwood Tower in London.