Clifford Chance announces 'diverse group' of new partners

Magic circle firm Clifford Chance has announced the promotion of 32 new partners – five fewer than last year.

Twelve of the new partners are female (38%). The firm has a target of at least 40% female and at least 40% male global partners by 2030.

Clifford Chance said the new partners ‘highlight the significant strength and depth of expertise available…to clients across global markets, products and sectors’.

Not all the partners disclosed their ethnicity but of those who did, 38.5% of the 14 new US and UK cohort identified as under-represented minority ethnic partners. It is the third year that the firm exceeds its target of 15% of new partners from ethnic minority groups by 2025.

Of the 32 new partners, whose promotions come into effect on 1 May, 13 are based in mainland Europe, including Frankfurt, Germany, Milan, Italy, and Warsaw, Poland; nine are in the UK and five from the Americas.

Charles Adams, Clifford Chance global managing partner, said: ‘These new partners demonstrate Clifford Chance’s commitment to invest in and promote exceptional talent. They will help us to focus on areas which will deliver outstanding results for our clients and shape our future as one of the world’s premier global firms.'

Adrian Cartwright, Clifford Chance Global senior partner, added that the ‘diverse group of new partners’ will ensure the firm ‘continue to ‘deliver outstanding client engagement and a superior quality client experience’.

He said: ‘Each of these talented individuals has demonstrated their expertise, collaborative team approach and deep commercial understanding that defines how we support all our clients.’

This year, the international firm boasted profits before tax of £812m for the year 30 April 2022 – a 17.3% increase on the previous year - while turnover rose to £1.969m, a 7.7% rise and the highest ever recorded by the firm.

Meanwhile, 

Meanwhile, DLA Piper has promoted 72 lawyers to partnership, including 13 in the UK.

Corporate saw the largest intake of new partners with 18 promotions, followed by 12 in both litigation and intellectual property & technology with 10 in finance, projects and restructuring. Other practice groups included employment with seven promotions, real estate with five, tax with four and regulatory & government affairs with four.

Simon Levine, global co-chief executive, said: ‘DLA Piper is committed to providing our clients with the highest levels of service as a trusted business partner. We do this within the framework of our values of being supportive, collaborative, bold and exceptional. The newly appointed partners are true advocates of these values, making a demonstrable contribution to the success and growth of our firm.’