Norton Rose’s EMEA staff have overwhelmingly backed the firm’s flexible working scheme, the firm announced today.

The firm said more than 90% of eligible employees had volunteered for the scheme under which staff may be asked to reduce their hours by up to 20% at any time during a 12-month period starting next week.

The Flex scheme mirrors a similar programme launched in the immediate aftermath of the financial crisis.

When it announced the plan on 2 April, the firm said it needed the support of 75% of eligible employees to take part for the programme to be economically viable.

EMEA Managing Partner Peter Scott said: “The overwhelming support of the Flex scheme shows how our people have come together, during what is a challenging time, to support their colleagues and the firm. I want to thank everyone for helping us reach this important milestone. I am confident that we will emerge from this stronger than before.”

Outlining the thinking behind the scheme to The Global Legal Post, Scott said he had been impressed by its effectiveness at steering the firm through the last financial crisis.

“We're very busy at the moment and it is certainly not the case everyone will be put on the 80% work arrangement," he added. "But we can foresee disruption down the track and we want to build in the ability to manage capacity if we see a downturn in work in certain teams as and when the need arises.”

To date most leading UK firms have limited their Covid-19 measures to cost cutting, holding back partner distributions, pay freezes and delays to bonus payments and some furloughts under the Government-backed scheme, although a handful of firms have either implemented pay cuts or are considering doing so.

They include listed UK law firm Knights, which reduced the salaries of all employees earning more than £30,000 annually by 10% from 1 April, and Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner (BCLP), which is cutting the pay of all employees earning more than $40,000 by 15% for 13 weeks, starting in May, as well as offering voluntary paid sabbaticals at 30% of salary and part-time working.

BCLP’s measures span the Atlantic, making it just one of three Am Law 50 firms that are cutting salaries, along with Baker McKenzie and Orrick.

To date 12 of the Am Law 100 have introduced salary cuts, according to Above the Law’s Law Firm Lay Off Tracker.

Meanwhile, Dentons Europe said today that partners and regional business services leaders across the continental Europe and Central Asia network would be forgoing 15-20% of their monthly advances/income in response to the crisis.

“Recognizing that this crisis will impact markets in different ways, and at different times, our country managing partners are also empowered to take local measures in order to protect their teams,” the firm said in a statement.

“We believe these actions are a measured and responsible response to this unprecedented situation, and through our solidarity, we will come out of the crisis even stronger than before.”

Further reading on the Covid-19 pandemic

A question of timing: the different responses of US and UK elite law firms to Covid-19 — Looming decisions over associate pay and bonuses are a factor in the timing of UK law firm Coronavirus measures

Above all, this crisis too will pass — Rob Millard foresees large law firm mergers and accelerated digitisation in the wake of Covid-19

'It is about being proactive and decisive' — Norton Rose Fulbright EMEA managing partner Peter Scott on the thinking behind the firm's flexible working scheme

General counsel braced for six-month shock to their businesses, survey finds — MoFo poll of 110 GCs finds them making unprecedented decisions as HR issues dominate

'Now is the time for law firms to deliver on their stated values' — Consultant Tony Williams advises law firm leaders to avoid knee jerk decisions and go into communication overdrive during the Covid-19 crisis

Unprecedented response to Covid-19 is 'testament to legal profession's resilience — Stewart Salwin is impressed by how quickly the Arizona courts have adapted to the coronavirus crisis

Staff welfare, supply chain and privacy: the coronavirus-related issues keeping GCs awake at night  — Linklaters, Baker McKenzie and Ropes & Gray have published the most sought-after briefings, according to Lexology

'I have realised how powerful technology now is': an Italian lawyer's take on Covid-19 — The lockdown is forcing Italians to embrace digitisation - and that even includes its public officials, writes Gabriella Geatti

Coronavirus risk may be unprecedented, but the fundamental principles of crisis response still apply — Crisis PR specialist Bethaney Durkin advises law firms impacted by the coronavirus to act quickly while avoiding a kneejerk response