Mourant in employment law joint venture with Maclay Murray & Spens

14/04/2004

Mourant du Feu & Jeune announces the launch of Law at Work in the Channel Islands. The service is offered through a joint venture with Scotland’s leading employment legal practice, Maclay Murray & Spens, in anticipation of Jersey’s first major employment law, expected to be enacted in the next 12 months.

Law At Work was established in the UK in 2000 by Malcolm Mackay, founding partner of Mackay Simon, a firm that subsequently merged with Maclays. It aims to provide a comprehensive and cost-effective risk management approach to employment and health and safety law issues. Clients pay an agreed retainer fee in advance and have unlimited access to advice 24 hours-a-day for the duration of their contract. In addition, Law At Work offers management training and consultancy on employment and people management issues.

In 2003 Mourant du Feu & Jeune spotted the opportunity to offer a similar type of service in relation to Jersey law and agreed a joint venture with Maclays in order to draw on the experience and brand value already accumulated by Law At Work. The Channel Islands venture will serve medium and large Channel Islands enterprises in all industry sectors.

Mourant du Feu & Jeune employment partner Wendy Malorey commented:

"The imminent arrival of the new employment law in Jersey presents an unprecedented opportunity for Mourant to provide employers in all sectors with the first employment risk management service of this type in the Channel Islands. We believe companies will find this service invaluable as they grapple with new legislation and seek to manage risks in employment and health and safety law. We are delighted to be joining forces with Maclay Murray & Spens who have proven this concept in the UK with great success."

Malcolm Mackay, employment partner at Maclay Murray & Spens and chairman of Law At Work in the UK, added:

"Law At Work is committed to changing the traditional relationship between client and adviser to the mutual benefit of both. We focus on prevention rather than cure, and on being accessible and cost-effective. We have had great success in providing clients with this service for several years in the UK, and we were very excited when Mourant du Feu & Jeune approached us about putting the concept to work in the Channel Islands. Advisory service delivery is changing as clients become more sophisticated – Law At Work is an example of how firms can respond to clients’ needs, providing flexible and innovative solutions in an increasingly complex area of legislation."

Mourant du Feu & Jeune and Maclay Murray & Spens are the sole representatives for Jersey and Scotland respectively of Lex Mundi, the world’s leading association of independent law firms.