Law jobs aren't so safe after all

What with the potential for a raft of subprime related law suits in 2009, anyone might have thought law firms were an OK place to be. Unfortunately, this isn't the case.

DLA Piper has a UK-wide plan for 40 redundancies and finance-focused law firms such as Clifford Chance, Eversheds, Shearman & Stearling, Reed Smith and Orrick were trimming their teams last week.

Mishcons, Dechert and Beachcroft are also rumoured to be making redundancies.

It might be small beer in comparison to the number of jobs lost in banking and financial services, but The Lawyer reckons 1,235 jobs are currently under threat in the UK's 200 largest law firms, the majority of them in real estate teams.

Separately, a CBI forecast predicts "significant" job cuts at financial services focused law firms in the next few months.

In response the growing number of job cuts, the Law Society has recently prepared guidance for lawyers with advice on negotiating redundancy packages, continuing professional development, finances, job applications and interview tips.

This might seem odd, considering the fact that most lawyers should be in a good position to represent themselves, but they often not best placed to know their rights in spite of their professional qualifications, says Sam Mangwana, an employment solicitor at Russell Jones & Walker.

"Their careers are threatened, their self-confidence dented and unemployment looms," she says. "And senior management is ranged against them, dispensing justice like a kangaroo court. It can be intimidating."