A senior lawyer at a big law firm who grabbed a junior colleague’s penis at a Christmas party and made lewd comments about people he worked with has been suspended for 15 months.
The man, who has interim name suppression, was drunk at two parties run by his firm several years ago. At the first, he commented about employees’ genitalia and sex lives and touched staff inappropriately.
At the second party weeks later, he spanked a woman with a piece of wood, kissed her on the top of the head and danced in a sexualised manner.
The Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal described the man’s behaviour as “appalling and uncouth”.
A hearing into his conduct was held earlier this year, at which several junior staff gave evidence that they had chosen to downplay how the behaviour affected them for fear of not being hired for a permanent role.
Now, the same tribunal has ordered the man to be suspended from practising as a lawyer and to pay a combined $73,000 in compensation and legal fees.
