CMS Cameron McKenna has suspended without pay a Russian lawyer from its CIS group, for allegedly gaining access to confidential information on the ongoing discrimination claims against the group.
Alexander Kudryavstev, a four-year qualified assistant, was suspended at the end of last month after a series of meetings with senior Camerons' management, believed to include head of personnel John Renz.
Camerons refused to confirm or deny the suspension.
Kudryavstev is the latest Russian lawyer working at Camerons to be caught up in sex and race discrimination claims made against senior assistant Ilia Iaroslavski, de facto head of Camerons' Tashkent office.
Camerons has instructed George Staple, Clifford Chance partner and former head of the Serious Fraud Office, to conduct an independent investigation into claims of discrimination by two former lawyers in the CIS group, Dmitri Chebotarev and Natasha Thomson.