Continuing on from last week’s round up, the situation has continued to escalate and the shock to the legal market caused by the pandemic has become more acute. Law firms are furloughing staff members, reducing partner dividend pay outs and taking other measures to protect their businesses and staff.
There has been further disruption to the vacation scheme calendar, as well as, delays and cancelations. In a statement about its summer vacation scheme, Cripps Pemberton Greenish say that:
‘In light of the current global coronavirus pandemic and the restrictions being placed on individuals and businesses, it is with great disappointment that we have decided to cancel our 2020 summer vacation scheme. This decision has not been taken lightly as we place great value on giving students the opportunity to gain an understanding of what life is like as a solicitor at a commercial law firm.
We look forward to being able to release details of our 2021 vacation scheme later this year.‘
Other firms have followed suit and this trend could continue as the crisis enfolds. Law firms are taking these measures now in order to prevent short notice cancellations if this period of social distancing continues into the summer. However, this does come at the cost of changing their normal recruitment pattern. Some firms are also looking into ways of moving the timing of their schemes and may be rescheduling them when it is possible, and others will be working to operate them digitally in some way.