Leading UK firms reassess retirement policy

Leading UK firms are reassessing their retirement policies ahead of legislative changes that will abolish the default retirement age of 65 for UK employees. Firm managers are also keeping a close eye on the court case between lawyer Leslie Seldon and law firm Clarkson Wright & Jakes. The Court of Appeal rejected his argument that a compulsory retirement age of 65 constituted age discrimination, but Seldon has applied for leave to appeal the matter in the Supreme Court. Some firms are discussing whether to either raise the age of retirement in the partnership deed or remove it altogether, while others, such as Norton Rose, are considering moving older partners away from fee earning and into knowledge management, business development or compliance.

Leading UK firms reassess retirement policy legalweek.com Fri, Jan 14, 2011