The coronavirus has forged changes in the legal profession that will outlast the pandemic itself, leading to greater flexibility and efficiencies in an industry steeped in tradition and notably slow to adopt new technologies, sources told Lawyerly.
Hicksons Lawyers has denied accusations of sexual discrimination by a female ex-partner who was denied a promotion to equity partner, saying she was passed over for the role because of substandard profitability and poor performance.
As law firms and funders scramble to keep up with COVID-19’s impact on the legal landscape, some have gone above and beyond in creating new technological and service solutions for clients in these unprecedented times.
With the legal industry looking for ways to “share the pain” among staff amid a potential slowdown in work due to the coronavirus, several top-tier firms told Lawyerly they had no immediate plans to slash salaries or reduce staff hours.
With a large number of lawyers now working from home amid the coronavirus crisis, law firms are getting creative, turning to virtual yoga, cocktail deliveries and more to maintain the health and well-being of their staff.
Equity partners at MinterEllison have agreed to cut their draws by 50 per cent and permanent staff have been asked to purchase six weeks’ leave as part of measures to weather the COVID-19 crisis.
Redundancies will be a last resort for law firms dealing with a diminishing work pipeline during the COVID-19 pandemic, as they try to avoid the talent shortages they faced at the end of the global financial crisis, according to a leading legal recruiter.
London-based litigation funder Balance Legal Capital has raised $162 million from institutional investors to pursue lawsuits in Australia and worldwide, including class actions.
The association for practicing barristers in NSW has called for a financial support package for its members as courts restrict in-person hearings to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus.
After insisting that employees remain working in the office despite tough government restrictions to combat the spread of the new coronavirus, HWL Ebsworth has changed its tune, saying any lawyer wishing to work remotely could now do so, and would be paid as usual.