Reed Smith’s Paris managing partner Natasha Tardif has won the International Bar Association’s (IBA) Outstanding International Woman Lawyer Award for 2024.

Tardif, who is also co-head of Reed Smith’s French competition and European law practice, was recognised for promoting excellence through gender equality, female leadership and her work in mentoring for more than two decades. Her practice focuses on guiding clients through European and French legal proceedings in competition and regulatory law across sectors including life sciences, healthcare and retail.

In welcoming the award, her firm said: “Having lived in various countries and worked across different legal systems, her multi-cultural background has embedded the belief that diversity is a strength that encourages innovative thinking and should be championed.”

It added: “Renowned for promoting gender equality, female leadership and mentorship within Reed Smith and the wider legal profession, Tardif fosters a supportive environment, both in the Paris office and across the firm, where women can excel.”

Her firm won Race Equality of the Year Award at 2024’s Women and Diversity in Law Awards, having also won the Gender Equality of The Year Award in 2023, while Tamara Box, Reed Smith’s European managing partner, won the Law Firm Leader of the Year – Large Law Firm award at the same event.

The IBA award, which was given at its recent World Woman Lawyers Conference in Toronto, the host site for next year’s IBA annual conference, recognises women lawyers who have shown excellence in their field, inspired other women to pursue legal careers, championed women’s rights in the workplace and advanced opportunities for women in law.

Tardif commented: “Receiving [the award] is an honour that resonates beyond personal recognition; it represents a collective stride toward legal excellence and a more inclusive and equitable legal profession.”

She paid tribute to the IBA for its “commitment to highlighting the exceptional contributions of women to law on a global scale”, hailing its “vital support” for advancing female lawyers professionally.

Jennifer Bishop, chair of the IBA Women Lawyers’ Committee and head of the judging panel, commented: “It was my great honour to present the award to Natasha Tardif, whose inclusive leadership, mentorship and advocacy have played a significant role in the advancement of women in the legal profession.”

The IBA recently released its latest survey of gender equality in the legal profession, as part of its 50:50 by 2030 series of research reports, this time on Ukraine. The project has been championed by outgoing IBA president Almudena Arpón de Mendívil Aldama and is aimed at shedding light on the root causes of gender disparity in the legal profession, as well as identifying practical solutions.

The latest report comes after the IBA won the Gender Equality Initiative of the Year Award at the Women and Diversity in Law Awards in London, which the Global Legal Post organises. Applications for the 2025 Awards close on 14 November.