Magic circle firms were defiant last week following Department for Constitutional Affairs minister David Lammy's attack on the lack of black and ethnic minority partners at the largest City firms.

Mr Lammy questioned the top firms' commitment to diversity issues at an event held by the Black Solicitors Network (BSN) last week.


He asked: 'Where are the black and minority ethnic partners in the magic circle firms?... What are those big law firms doing to ensure they have a diverse partnership, not imported from overseas but British ethnic minorities?'


He added: 'Ethnic minority students are winning places at the top law firms only to be channelled into less commercial areas of law... caught in the centre of a corporate maze, where all the exits are career route dead ends.'


Hugh Crisp, chief executive of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, a member along with Allen & Overy, Linklaters, Clifford Chance and Slaughter and May of the magic circle, said he found Mr Lammy's comments surprising. He said: 'It is disappointing that there was no recognition of the work that is actually going on in magic circle firms to improve diversity... It is unhelpful if it gives the impression to ethnic students that it is hopeless.'


Mr Crisp pointed to his firm's involvement in the Diversity in Law initiative set up by Global Graduates in 1999, which provides guidance and training to potential lawyers from minority groups. He added: 'I just don't recognise that ethnic minority lawyers are being channelled into less commercial work - all of our work is commercial.'


Mr Crisp confirmed that Freshfields has no UK partners of Afro-Caribbean origin, but has several of Asian origin. No other magic circle firms were able to provide figures for ethnic minority partners in the UK.


A spokesman for Clifford Chance said it was committed to diversity through its involvement with the Afro-Caribbean diversity group and the Legal Diversity Forum.


Yvonne Brown, BSN chairwoman, said: 'It is very heartening that someone at the heart of government shares the BSN's concerns. We need to concentrate not on vilifying firms but on putting constructive proposals to them.'


A Law Society spokesman said: 'We are very aware of the so-called glass ceiling for black and ethnic minority lawyers... The issue of progression within firms must be addressed.'