The redundancies will affect approximately 30 employees from the firm's 160-person legal team
Big Four firm Ernst & Young (EY) has announced a new round of redundancies within its UK legal practice, affecting approximately 30 employees out of its 160-person legal team.
According to a report by The Law Society Gazette, EY partners informed lawyers of the decision during a phone call on Tuesday. The firm has since launched a redundancy consultation as part of a broader restructuring effort.
A spokesperson for EY told the Gazette, “EY has put forward proposals to restructure the UK Law business by focusing on strategic areas with greater alignment to the broader EY business and providing integrated services to our clients.” The firm stated that it would strengthen its legal capabilities in corporate law, company secretarial services, tax litigation, and immigration while reducing personnel in other areas.
The firm entered the UK legal market in 2014 as an alternative business structure, seeking to compete with traditional law firms. However, its expansion efforts have faced setbacks. In 2023, EY had planned to triple its number of lawyers in the UK and Ireland over three years. This latest round of redundancies follows the closure of EY Riverview Law in 2019, five years after its acquisition.
In January 2023, EY initiated a similar redundancy consultation, affecting 24 employees in its UK financial services legal advisory business. The firm stated that it based the decision on a regular review of resourcing needs.
Despite the cuts, EY has confirmed that the redundancies will not impact trainee positions. A spokesperson added that the firm would always seek to redeploy its people to other parts of the business where possible.
EY Law employs approximately 3,500 people globally, including 290 in the UK. According to the Gazette, the latest job cuts reflect a broader trend among Big Four firms, which have sought to expand into legal services but have faced challenges sustaining that growth.
