Clifford Chance tech lawyer says London law firm should adopt Silicon Valley work culture
A rising star lawyer at Magic Circle law firm Clifford Chance has called on the Canary Wharf headquartered firm to appoint a “Chief Happiness Officer” after submitting a manifesto to his colleagues calling on the firm to create a Californian style work culture.
Clifford Chance partner Jonathan Kewley, who is standing for the position of managing partner, called on the centuries old law firm to pilot a four-day working week and offer staff “micro-retreats every six weeks” in “cool places.”
In his “Vision Paper,” Kewley, who is currently co-head of Clifford Chance’s tech group, said Clifford Chance should foster a culture in which holidays are “sacred,” as he suggested the firm should sponsor employees to pursue hobbies and passion projects.
The Oxford educated lawyer’s manifesto said: “We have a generational opportunity to create the most vibrant, happy and uplifting place to work in the world. This paper is written from a joyful place”
The manifesto comes as Kewley, 40, stands against incumbent managing partner Michael Bates, who specializes in banking and capital markets. The contest between Kewley and Bates will be decided by Clifford Chance CEO Matthew Layton, with the winner set to hold the position for a four-year term.
In standing for the role, Bates put forward a much conservative manifesto, simply titled “Priorities,” as he called for reforms to the firm’s “leverage model,” to up the number of non-partner senior lawyers, and focused on measures to recruit and retain talent.
Partners at Clifford Chance seemed split on the proposals, with one partner describing Kewley’s plans as “utterly deluded”.
Kewley’s manifesto comes after it was reported that Clifford Chance was considering plans to ditch its Canary Wharf headquarters and move back to Canada, as it faced a partner revolt over plans to return to the office.
Clifford Chance declined the opportunity to comment.