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Dogs descend on Eversheds Sutherland in new wellbeing initiative

Think of it as a canine-friendly vac scheme

It was tummy rubs all round at Eversheds Sutherland on Friday as an army of dogs invaded the firm’s plush London office.

The international outfit’s London-based lawyers and support staff were allowed to bring their four-legged canine companions to work for the day as part of a new wellbeing initiative.

Members of Eversheds Sutherland’s special pro bone-o team included Bruno (beagle), Gibbs (labrador), Milo (French bulldog), Buddy (labradoodle), Betsi (labrador/collie cross), Poppy (mixed breed) and Leo (Siberian husky).

Expert trainers from Canine Creche Group (CCG) were on hand to look after the dogs and offer owners advice on how to best care for them. Lawyers and support staff with allergies (or, god forbid, who don’t like dogs) were allowed to hot-desk elsewhere in the building.

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The firm — recently formed through a transatlantic merger between UK-based outfit Eversheds and US law firm Sutherland Asbill & Brennan — isn’t the first to open its doors to dogs.

Earlier this year, Norton Rose Fulbright came over all canine-friendly and allowed its lawyers to take part in Bring Your Dog to Work Day (23 June).

However, some law firms go one step further and actually make dogs a permanent feature of the office.

In 2015, Legal Cheek brought you the news that North East outfit Hewitts Solicitors had its own office puppy paralegal called Hewie.

“With very few exceptions, we are all animal lovers at this office. Hewie has pretty well free run of the office apart from the waiting room and the interview rooms,” Hewitts senior partner, John Turner, told Legal Cheek. “It is a great stress-buster to have him around. I know a number of staff members volunteer to take him for walks to chill out.”

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