Mayer Brown has been thoroughly embarrassed after its complaints against Avi Bitton, RollOnFriday's favourite workshy Frenchman, were thrown out by the Paris Bar.

Avi, formerly an associate at Clifford Chance's Paris office, has long been a thorn in the flesh of international law firms. The most recent target of his ire was Mayer Brown. Avi claimed that 15 of the firm's 25 French partners were technically associates. Under French rules partners must have a right to vote, and these "partners" (presumably salaried partners) had no such right.

A fake Frenchman yesterday

Avi made a big song and dance about this, pointing out that according to the letter of the law Mayer Brown only had nine partners in Paris, all of whom were male. He suggested that if clients knew the true state of affairs they would be less than delighted. And Mayer Brown, in a fit of pique, lodged a complaint with the Chairman of the Paris Bar.

Which has now been thrown out. Avi is delighted, and Mayer Brown has been forced to hand over some shares to 13 of its fake partners to turn them into proper partners.

A spokeswoman for the firm said "we do not wish to comment on this".

Read more on Friday.