McGrigors, which employs about 800 people across the UK, plans to cut about 40 senior associate and other lawyer posts as well as a number of support staff. Posts at partner level are not being targeted. The firm has three offices north of the Border - in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen - as well as others in London, Manchester and the Falkland Islands. Jobs losses are expected to be across its operations in Scotland, England and Northern Ireland. A spokesman for McGrigors, which in June was named National Law Firm of the Year by the Lawyer magazine, said: "Unfortunately, over the past 12 months it has become increasingly clear that an immediate recovery is not going to emerge, and that we are instead facing a sustained period of market uncertainty - particularly while the effects of the public sector spending review become clear. "For this reason, we have decided to take steps to restructure the business in a way which more closely reflects client demand. I am sorry to confirm that we yesterday entered into a redundancy consultation."