Legal Week and The Lawyer are both reporting that Hunton & Williams has laid off three lawyers and six staff in London.
The reason for the layoffs is a relatively obscure, but growing one: laterals. According to LW:
Recent Hunton departures have included corporate partner Paul Tetlow and senior associate James Green, who left to join the City arm of K&L Gates alongside two corporate associates, while energy partners Matthew Williams and John Deacon joined Hogan Lovells in March along with a team of six associates.
Former London managing partner Martin Thomas and fellow corporate partner Dearbhla Quigley, meanwhile, left to join Chadbourne & Parke’s City office.
The stripped down office – 14 lawyers remain of 36 back in April – will focus on privacy and data protection.
So there you go, associates, one more thing to fear – if the partner you’re working for doesn’t take you, don’t count on the firm to be able to support you.
This also ends a 48-day streak without a layoff, not the longest, but it was a nice run while it lasted.
