Freshfields has been nominated for a prestigious award in recognition of having only one female partner in its 27-partner-strong Paris office.
The firm has been targeted by Avi Bitton, Member of the Paris Bar Council, crusader on behalf of associates' rights, former Clifford Chancer and famously work-shy Frenchman. Bitton has launched the "Germinal" awards, named after the novel by Zola which described oppressed workers being beasted to death: and Freshfields is no doubt delighted to have been nominated. Surely a travesty for a firm described by Glamour magazine as the most female-friendly in law.
Clifford Chance gets a mention too, on account of having just three female partners out of 33 in its Paris office. Although a year ago it only had one, so at least it's making some progress. A spokesman said that the firm was striving to address this imbalance, and that 30% of partners promoted by the firm this year were women "but we are absolutely clear that we will need to continue to focus on this issue".
A spokesman for Freshfields said "we are well aware that the number of women partners around our network needs to grow and we have made this a business imperative. There are a number of programmes in place designed to help level the playing field. This will take time to address but we are committed to increasing the diversity of our partnership."
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The firm has been targeted by Avi Bitton, Member of the Paris Bar Council, crusader on behalf of associates' rights, former Clifford Chancer and famously work-shy Frenchman. Bitton has launched the "Germinal" awards, named after the novel by Zola which described oppressed workers being beasted to death: and Freshfields is no doubt delighted to have been nominated. Surely a travesty for a firm described by Glamour magazine as the most female-friendly in law.
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A French crusader yesterday |
Clifford Chance gets a mention too, on account of having just three female partners out of 33 in its Paris office. Although a year ago it only had one, so at least it's making some progress. A spokesman said that the firm was striving to address this imbalance, and that 30% of partners promoted by the firm this year were women "but we are absolutely clear that we will need to continue to focus on this issue".
A spokesman for Freshfields said "we are well aware that the number of women partners around our network needs to grow and we have made this a business imperative. There are a number of programmes in place designed to help level the playing field. This will take time to address but we are committed to increasing the diversity of our partnership."
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