DWF puts over 100 jobs at risk in cost-cutting drive

DWF has placed 108 staff at risk of redundancy as it looks to slim down parts of its business services divisions.

The move, first reported by RollOnFriday, affects around 2% of the firm’s total staff and is focused on limited roles across its commercial services and central services divisions.

The firm is currently conducting a consultation process, with a spokesperson confirming that "a proportion of those roles will be made redundant."

A spokesperson told Non-Billable: "Our strategy is to achieve long-term, sustainable growth. This includes being responsive to the economic environment and ensuring our teams reflect the changing needs of our clients", adding: "We understand that this is a very difficult situation for those colleagues involved and we are committed to a meaningful consultation and responding to questions or concerns raised."

Some staff aren’t happy

Affected staff have criticised the process.

One insider described the handling to RoF as "abysmal", saying employees were informed via minute-long remote meetings and left without updates for weeks. Another claimed it appears the firm is "purposely dragging out the process to await resignations and avoid making any payments at all".

Bigger picture

The cuts come against a backdrop of wider legal industry trends, with firms increasingly looking to slim down business services functions through automation, outsourcing and AI.

With private equity firm Inflexion now backing DWF following its £342 million takeover and 2023 delisting from the London Stock Exchange, the pressure to deliver a leaner, more efficient business clearly remains.