Trainees and staffers will not be affected.
In April, the firm opened a fifth office in Manchester, and has hired two attorneys from DLA Piper to run it. In May, it deferred half of its September 2009 incoming trainee class.
Barlow Lyde & Gilbert LLP is a leading international legal practice specializing in commercial litigation and dispute resolution, as well as insurance and reinsurance. It has offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Singapore, with its principal office in London.
UPDATE
In fact, the layoffs do not specifically target lawyers. All areas of the firm are under threat, except for trainees.
UPDATE 2
The firm has made a statement clarifying that that its East Asian offices will not be affected by the layoffs. Only employees in London and Oxford are being targeted.