CLIFFORD CHANCE, one of the world’s most highly regarded law firms, was threatened with the loss of a major client last night after leaked documents revealed exactly what its high-earning lawyers thought of their fee-paying clients.

A leaked database from Clifford Chance’s Paris office intranet gave colourful descriptions of senior executives at Airbus, the aircraft manufacturer, and EADS, its parent, such as “very powerful for five years: marginalised since then” and “very stressed when he is under pressure”.

The database also described one Airbus executive as “an enemy of the group”.

The intranet list also noted that one manager had recently divorced, that a second was ill and that a third had lost his house in an explosion at a chemical factory in Toulouse in 2001.

“A great guy”, “very straight” and “a rising star” were among the more favourable comments on the database, which was available to the 220 lawyers in Clifford Chance’s Paris office.

Last night the firm promised to clean up its client database.

Airbus condemned the information on the database as “absolutely inappropriate” and said the company was considering whether to continue using Clifford Chance as its law firm.

Yesterday a spokeswoman for Clifford Chance confirmed that “inappropriate comments” about six executives had been posted on the list by a lawyer in Paris.

“We have been through all our lists and there are no other cases. This was an isolated incident and there was no desire to harm anyone. The intention was not nasty in any way.”

She said a lawyer had merely wanted to share useful information. When the Airbus executive had divorced, for instance, this had been noted to avoid inviting his wife to cocktail parties.

“We recognise that this was inappropriate and we have removed the comments. But you have to understand that there are 220 lawyers in the Paris office and we can’t be on their backs all the time.”

A spokeswoman at Clifford Chance’s head office in London said it had created databases “to help manage the relationship with clients”.

She added: “We will now be reminding everyone that the databases should only contain certain relevant information, such as the last matter we advised upon or who was in the team.

“I do not think any of the databases in any of the other offices contain inappropriate information.”

A spokeswoman for Airbus said: “We were amazed when we saw this. We knew absolutely nothing about it. We totally disapprove of this type of attitude and we feel very strongly about it.

“We have given a strong warning to Clifford Chance about this and we are now considering whether to stop using Clifford Chance.”

Under French law, the information contained in databases must be “adequate, pertinent and not excessive”.

Sensitive information concerning, for instance, health problems is illegal. Explicit approval must be sought for the inclusion of other personal information.

Failure to comply with the data protection law carries a maximum five-year jail sentence and a fine of up to €300,000 (£203,000).

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