Dozens of lawyers with leading UK firm Linklaters are understood to be seeking alternative employment after the firm admitted it is in the final stages of a global performance review expected to lead to the departure of more than 20 lawyers in London.

A Linklaters spokesman conceded that a number of assistants were leaving the firm following the firm’s annual performance appraisals, but said reports that as many as 80 lawyers were affected by the process were “substantially exaggerated”.