Law firm’s misconduct spelt out
The Bazley report into inappropriate sexual behaviour, amid a culture of boozing, has prompted comments it is ‘‘not limited to Russell McVeagh, nor to the legal profession’’.
After four months and interviews with 250 people, public service troubleshooter Dame Margaret Bazley yesterday released her 89-page report, which was triggered by sexual misconduct involving summer interns around December 2015.
While most people interviewed felt it was a ‘‘great place to work’’ others told Bazley the law firm had a work-hard, play-hard culture ‘‘that involved excessive drinking and in some instances crude, drunken, and sexually inappropriate behaviour’’.
Under-Secretary for Domestic and Sexual Violence Issues and Green MP Jan Logie said it was ‘‘crucial that New Zealanders can put their trust in the integrity of the legal profession if we are to fully address, and prevent, sexual violence and harassment’’.
‘‘These problems are not limited to Russell McVeagh, nor to the legal profession.
‘‘This underscores the magnitude of sexual harassment in workplaces, and I am hearing that many employers either don’t know how to respond or put their own business interests ahead of the welfare of people. This is something we need to address as a government and a country.’’
Bazley reported that ‘‘junior lawyers and young staff were encouraged to drink to excess’’ but that after the incidents 21⁄2 years ago, the culture appeared to have changed.
Those incidents include a 2015 Christmas party where summer clerks were allegedly groped, kissed, and made to drink, by a male partner. The clerks said they didn’t know if they should report it as ‘‘no-one around them had reacted at the time’’.
The same male partner had a second boozy Christmas party that year where there was further alleged sexual misconduct, then later that summer, there was another alcohol-fuelled evening that ended with ‘‘inappropriate sexual misconduct’’ by a male solicitor at a Wellington bar. It is understood the victim was a summer intern.
Wellington Women Lawyers’ Association conveyor Steph Dyhrberg said the report was a ‘‘nuclear device in the tearoom’’ of the legal profession.
But the fact remains – still working in law in Wellington is a solicitor accused of the most serious of the breaches. He was never prosecuted, partly because his alleged victims never laid police complaints.
‘‘Junior lawyers and young staff were encouraged to drink to excess.’’
Dame Margaret Bazley