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Clifford Chance

Clifford Chance

LGBT+

Inclusion & diversity

Clifford Chance's goal is to be the global law firm of choice for LGBT+ people and for LGBTQ+ causes.

We have developed a global program of initiatives designed to help deliver greater equality for LGBTQ+ people in our firm, build the capacity of our clients to be stronger supporters of equality, and drive real change across the world. Across the world, being an LGBTQ+ person all too often means you are faced with legal discrimination and persecution. Working with partners in civil society and across the world of business, we are building partnerships and taking strategic action to help dismantle such laws, whilst at the same time we work constantly to change cultural attitudes that allow such laws to exist.

From Poland to Singapore, London to Brazil, we are working in courtrooms and communities to make sure no one ever feels that they will face a life of marginalisation simply because of who they are and who they fall in love with.

Highlights

Arcus launches in India

India

Our colleagues in India have launched the India chapter of Arcus, our global LGBT+ affinity network for employees and allies

  • Many colleagues pledged to be inclusion allies through our Pledging campaign
  • Director - HR and Training Shefali Grover and Associate Director Mrinal Agarwal hosted a thought-provoking discussion with Global Director of Inclusion Tiernan Brady, General Manager Venu Yadavalli, Citi's Rajesh Nijhawan and BNY Mellon's Yazdanoi Shaikh who shared their insights and experiences on the importance of LGBT+ inclusion, diversity and inclusion strategies, the role of networks in creating an inclusive workplace, and much more.

Arcus Pride Art

Global

Our annual Arcus Pride Art exhibition has become one of the largest corporate supported exhibitions of art works by LGBT+ and supporter artists. It is a truly global celebration, with events and exhibitions taking place across Clifford Chance's global network each year. This year's theme is United in Pride.

Explore

Clifford Chance ranks Number 1 in Stonewall's Top 100 Employers of 2023

UK

This recognition highlights the firm's commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone can be their authentic selves and reach their full potential. Clifford Chance has also been awarded a Gold Award for commitment to LGBTQ+ inclusion at work and its affinity network, Arcus, has received the Highly Commended Network Group Award, which is given to the organisations with the highest scores in the Network Activity section of the Index.

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Clifford Chance at the Gay Games

Hong Kong

Our Clifford Chance team won the plate CHAMPION for the Soccer 7s Plate All-Gender category at the Gay Games Hong Kong 2023. This is the first time they been held in Asia. Many congratulations to the team.

Pride Business Forum

Czechia

Colleagues from our Arcus network in Prague have established a close cooperation with Pride Business Forum, a local non-profit organization which helps companies to improve workplace equality for LGBT+ employees. To become a member of the forum, our team signed a memorandum by which they publicly committed to support principles of the European Charter on Diversity.

The network is planning more exciting initiatives and workshops for our Prague colleagues, and plan to attend trainings and events which will help them create truly safe and fair environment in the office.

Clifford Chance launches global Arcus pin

Singapore

We launched a global Arcus pin in our Singapore office, designed by Yu Sheng Teo, the founder of Heckin'​ Unicorn.

Arcus is our LGBTQ+ global employee network that aims to encourage an inclusive and integrated culture within Clifford Chance that gives colleagues the choice to be open and out.

Tiernan Brady, Global Director of Inclusion said at the launch: "The Arcus pin is a statement of our support for our LGBT+ colleagues and LGBT+ equality. If we believe in something then we have to demonstrate that. Wearing the pin is a simple and powerful act of visibility in support of inclusion for LGBT+ community. It is also very very cool looking!"

Pro bono highlights

Carrying out a multi-jurisdictional analysis of expungement legislation on behalf of the Gay Project

Global

Ireland has launched a public consultation to develop new laws to expunge the records of people prosecuted with historical same-sex convictions. To help inform public discourse, we recently worked with The Gay Project on a pro bono basis to carry out a multi-jurisdictional analysis of Expungement Legislation in Australia, Canada, England & Wales, Germany, New Zealand, Scotland and Spain.

Lawyer Golshan Mahdi-Nau commented: "Laws criminalising homosexuality have a devastating effect on those they target, even after they are rightly repealed. This is why Expungement Legislation is crucial to ensure that those wrongfully targeted in the past are at the very least able to have their convictions removed."

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Advising the London LGBTQ+ Community Centre as it opens its first community space

UK

The Centre provides a safe, inclusive, sober, intergenerational, and intersectional space for the LGBTQ+ community. The London LGBTQ+ Community Centre aims to provide a supportive and welcoming space for London's LGBTQ+ population, which has been disproportionately affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

With nearly 60% of LGBTQ+ venues in London closing in the last decade, LGBTQ+ people being more at risk of poor mental health, 24% of homeless young people identifying as LGBTQ+, and with hate crimes related to sexual orientation and gender identity increasing year on year since 2015, the need for a space like this has never been greater.

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Reflections on a transgender asylum case

Americas

"I could never have imagined how profoundly I was affected by it. Karina is a profile in courage. No one in her community could even be openly homosexual, let alone transgender. But she knew in her heart who she wanted to become and where she needed to live in order to do that."

Washington, DC Partner Jessica Springsteen reflects on a recent transgender asylum case which had a profound effect on her.

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Arcus

Arcus is our global inclusive employee network open to all Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans*, Intersex, Queer people and their Allies​​​. Arcus aims to encourage an inclusive and integrated culture within Clifford Chance that gives colleagues the choice to be open and out.

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Our insights

The latest points of view from our people on our responsible business activities

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