Law firm to create up to 300 NI jobs

LEADING LONDON law firm Allen & Overy is to establish a new support centre in Belfast which could potentially create 300 jobs in Northern Ireland.

The global law firm, which operates in 26 countries and has more than 5,000 staff, plans to open its new support and legal services centre in the autumn.

But the investment boost for Northern Ireland may have been greeted with dismay from some of Allen and Overy’s existing London support staff.

As part of the new investment project the law firm intends to transfer about 180 current jobs from its London offices in stages.

Allen Overy, which will receive government grants totalling more than £2.5 million towards the cost of its new Belfast investment, has told its staff that the number of support roles in Northern Ireland is expected to reach 250 by 2014.

The company said a “consultation process” is due to start shortly with its London support staff to “determine which roles will transfer to Belfast”.

“Relocation packages will be offered to all with the intention of minimising job losses. No staff will be required to leave or relocate before the office is operational in the autumn,” the firm said.

The company believes the relocation proposal will not prove very attractive to its current staff.

Wim Dejonghe, global managing partner of Allen Overy, has admitted that the firm’s decision to relocate some jobs to Belfast may “come as a surprise and be upsetting for those staff whose roles are potentially affected”.

But Mr Dejonghe said the decision had been take purely for business reasons and had been reached following a review of its support services in London.

“These proposals are about reshaping the firm for the future and asking ourselves: ‘Are we operating in the most efficient and cost effective way possible?’

The law firm has estimated that it may save up to £10 million over the next five years thanks to the move to Belfast.

Its new Northern Ireland centre will deliver a range of support service functions including IT, human resources, finance, business services and library.

Northern Minister for Enterprise Arlene Foster said: “This investment, which will create over 300 quality jobs including up to 60 legal posts, is a tremendous endorsement of the Northern Ireland proposition.

“I hope that this investment will act as a catalyst for future investment in the legal services sector here.”