Described as a ‘superstar’ on the corporate lawyer circuit, Claire is the most senior female lawyer at law’s magic circle firms upon becoming managing partner at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in 2019.
Originally from Liverpool, Claire had a disrupted childhood and changed schools regularly. Despite having no-one in her family who had a profession, she decided as a child she wanted to be a lawyer. She has spent her entire career at Freshfields, working across the globe (London, Hong Kong, Moscow, and Shanghai) and covering an array of roles. She was made managing partner at the company’s London office in 2019, becoming the first female managing partner in a magic circle firm.
The London office which she manages is Freshfield’s largest and she has overseen its move to new premises, as well as promoting greater staff engagement.
Claire has remained aware of her role as a pioneer and is a strong advocate for increasing diversity across all levels of the legal profession. She is a trustee for the Royal Foundation and is chair of the Arnold Foundation at Rugby School.