It is telling, the contrast in reaction to Addleshaw Goddard’s latest partner cull today with the last time the firm made a similar move.
When the then Addleshaw Booth & Co jolted rivals in 2002 with news that it was to axe 11 partners, it was met with as much admiration and envy as shock. Here was an ambitious firm that wanted to go places and had the guts to make difficult decisions to get there. And while the move was seen as ruthless, the emerging national giant was seen as carrying too many underperformers at partner level. In short, it was widely understood why it took such action, and that action was viewed as helping the firm ultimately secure its City merger with Theodore Goddard the following year. From there, the firm had an excellent platform for growth which it had not appeared to have squandered.
