Clifford Chance (CC) is moving to introduce an 'of counsel' role as an alternative to partnership in London, in the latest such move by a top UK firm.
A seven-partner CC committee headed by London managing partner Jeremy Sandelson is considering bringing in the role as part of a review of the firm¹s career development track.
The move would make CC one of a growing number of top firms to have introduced the role.
Herbert Smith made a similar move last summer, while Allen & Overy decided to use the role as part of its sweeping flexible working package introduced last year.
The news comes after it emerged that CC brought in a 'senior associate' role in November last year to give associates of four years or more post-qualification experience a more significant role in the firm.
Sandelson said: "We recognise that, in addition to fee earning, associates want to be taught skills such as pitching and client handling."
The news comes as CC this week announced a shake up of its maternity policies aimed at retaining female staff and ramping up the proportion of women in its partnership, as reported on legalweek.com (30 January).
Under the new scheme, staff who have claimed maternity pay and returned to work will only have to repay their salary if they leave within six months of returning to work - down from a period of 12 months under the old system.