Insurance risk and commercial law specialist BLM is to cut almost 90 jobs as it ‘rapidly accelerates’ its digital strategy. Two UK offices will also close in a move to full-time remote working.

In all, 89 roles are expected to be axed in the firm's legal support and corporate services teams, following a redundancy consultation.

Senior partner Matthew Harrington said the firm ‘could never have fully known the impact this pandemic would have [on] our business and the need to rapidly accelerate our digital strategy’.

He added: 'Usually, such transformational change would evolve over many months and even years and in turn we would manage and adapt our workforce over time. We are now faced with having to adapt our internal teams to reflect the way we have all been working throughout the last few months as well as the skills and resources we need, and the way in which we want to operate as a firm in the future.'

Meanwhile, BLM will not renew its leases in Bristol and Leeds, which expire in November and March respectively. Staff who usually attend these offices will move to permanent remote working. 

Harrington said: ‘Whilst we are ceasing to have a physical office in Bristol and Leeds, our colleagues will be very much a part of the future of BLM supporting the firm’s clients as they do now. This is an opportunity to launch a new way of working, retaining local links but operating in a virtual way. Essentially, we will continue to be an efficient and dynamic firm, challenging the conventional status quo of the insurance law market.’

Last month international firm Dentons also announced it is shutting two UK offices to cater for full-time remote working. Offices in Aberdeen and Watford will be vacated with all partners and employees continuing with their current virtual working arrangements.