Clifford Chance has revealed that only 5.2 per cent of its London partners are from an ethnic minority background, its lowest level in six years.
The figure has fallen over the last two years from a high of 6.3 per cent in 2014 and 5.3 per cent in 2015.
Clifford Chance has released its diversity figures as part of its annual responsible business report, which aims to “chart the firm’s progress against its strategic objectives”.
Ethnic diversity among the magic circle firm’s London practice increased marginally from 26.2 per cent in 2015 to 26.4 per in 2016. Within the business services team ethnic diversity fell from 16.7 per cent last year to 15.9 per cent.
In comparison Clifford Chance’s New York and Washington DC offices have improved diversity at all levels. At 6.6 per cent the firm’s US partnership is its most diverse in six years having increased from a low of 2.9 per cent in 2012.
In the US, 34.3 per cent of fee-earners are from an ethnic minority background, which increased to 50 per cent within the business services team.
As part of the report Clifford Chance also released its female diversity figures, which shows the firm has increased its number of female partners from 17 per cent to 18.1 per cent.
Clifford Chance is among a number of UK firms attempting to increase female diversity among its partnership to 30 per cent. Despite the increase it is still along way from achieving this target.
The firm’s total female fee-earners in London has increased from 47.1 per cent to 47.9 per cent, while the number of women working in business services remained flat at 67.7 per cent.
