A leading City law firm is facing a record £6.85m compensation claims after a tribunal ruled it had blocked the careers of two solicitors because they were female.
Sian Heard and Sian Fellows are both seeking more than £3m in compensation after The Central London Employment Tribunal panel ruled they had been prevented from gaining promotion by a `glass ceiling' at law firm Sinclair Roche and Temperley.
The company had created a "discriminatory culture" where profits were put before equality, and covered -up complaints of sexual harassment, the tribunal heard.
The tribunal upheld the women's claim for compensation and will rule on how much will be awarded in the New Year.
Heard and Fellows said they missed out on earnings of £270,000 a year because they were not made senior partners. Both eventually left the firm, which has since merged with another law firm, Stephenson Harwood.
In upholding the women's claim, the tribunal said: "Ms Heard and Ms Fellows were high performers. Both were ambitious and hard working with aspirations to partnership. We are satisfied that both would have found it easier to progress at Sinclair had they been male."
The company is to appeal against the tribunal's decision.
