Clifford Chance hit with sex discrimination claim
Clifford Chance hit with sex discrimination claim" />Clifford Chance is facing another sex discrimination claim and is due to defend itself in a Budapest court next month.
Former Budapest associate Maia Christie is claiming that the firm discriminated against her because she was pregnant and a part-time worker.
The magic circle firm, which is currently the subject of a race discrimination claim in the US, settled a claim of discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation from former competition partner Michael Bryceland last year (The Lawyer, 20 August 2007).
According to the current claim, when pay rises in the Köves Clifford Chance office were announced in July 2004, Christie, at that time seven months pregnant, did not receive a rise. It further alleges that when Christie returned from maternity leave in December 2007 the firm terminated her contract.
Maia Christie v Clifford Chance LLP is due to be heard in Budapest Labour Court on 15 April.
A spokeswoman for Clifford Chance said: "We understand that Maia Christie is involved in proceedings in Hungary. The firm is not in a position to make any further comment at this stage."
In the US former Clifford Chance associate Caroline Memnon is suing the firm on the grounds that it discriminated against her because of her race (www.thelawyer.com, 26 March).
