Howard Kennedy has become the latest UK law firm to fall victim to the credit crunch with the launch of a redundancy programme threatening up to 50 jobs.

The firm, which has begun a 30-day redundancy consultation, follows rivals including Halliwells, Bevan Brittan and McGrigors in announcing plans to shed staff because of the current economic downturn.

Howard Kennedy confirmed it had begun talks and that those at risk of losing their jobs had been notified.

Paul Springall, a property partner, said the redundancy programme covered several departments but that real estate was likely to be hardest hit.

Mr Springall said: “It’s a factor of the economic world we now live in. No one can ignore the effects that the credit crunch has had on the property market and we are predominantly a real estate firm.”

Twenty of the 50 to lose their jobs will be lawyers. The remainder will be support staff.

Real estate teams have been the focus of cuts at other firms, including McGrigors, which is in consultation with nine members of its London property department.

Other firms to have announced cuts include Bevan Brittan, a regional UK partnership that is talking to 40 staff in several offices, and Haliwells, a Manchester-based firm that restructured its London corporate team resulting in several redundancies earlier this year.

Explore Law

• Columnists

• Law Panel

• Law Reports

• Student Law

Times Recommends

• Legal school 'earned £1m by exploiting bar course'
• Axe may fall on 5,000 more City lawyers
• Prince Charles named in £81m court battle