Law firms’ culture ‘no secret’

A former lawyer says sexual harassment in the workplace in the legal profession has been the ‘‘worst kept secret’’ for decades.

Former lawyer Olivia Wensley, a vocal proponent for change in the profession, spoke out after a survey was released that uncovered wide-ranging and ongoing sexual harassment, racism and bullying in the profession. It was unacceptable the Law Society seemed to be saying it was only just becoming aware of it, she said.

Commissioned by the New Zealand Law Society, the survey followed allegations of sexual abuse and harassment aired by some female lawyers earlier this year. The figures showed that law firms were largely not reporting sexual harassment as they were obliged to do, Wensley said.

They also showed a tiny proportion of all sexual harassment got reported to the Law Society but, even so, it must have been aware of about 20 cases, she said.

The survey found widespread harassment throughout the profession, with 33 per cent of female lawyers who took part in the survey experiencing crude or offensive behaviour.

Meanwhile, New Zealand Law Society president Kathryn Beck sent out a letter yesterday to 13,281 New Zealand lawyers and 784 lawyers who are based overseas who hold a practising certificate. ‘‘Through what our own people have told us it is crystal clear now that we have a serious and systemic cultural problem in our profession,’’ the letter said.

‘‘We are failing to keep our people safe, we are compromising their human rights and we are failing to treat all people with respect and consideration for the concepts of justice and equality.’’

Beck thanked the women who had told their stories of sexual harassment and discrimination within the profession.

‘‘The courage of these young women telling their stories of suffering sexual abuse in the legal profession has forced the New Zealand Law Society to have a good hard look at itself.’’

Beck wrote in the letter that the organisation was committed to change, and it started by doing something unique in its 150-year history by asking all lawyers to provide feedback in the survey exploring the safety of lawyers in their workplaces.

‘‘As a profession, we must be ashamed and embarrassed at what our people have told us.

‘‘I am also deeply saddened at the situation we are in and I am sure many members of our profession will feel the same.’’

Beck said it was time to ‘‘own the problems’’ the report highlighted and everyone should commit to eliminating them.

‘‘We have certain privileges that come with being a lawyer and we are all asked to declare in the next month in our annual practising certificate application that we are fit and proper persons. Let’s make sure that’s true.’’ Beck said she was committed to the society and providing the cultural leadership that it had not provided to date.

‘‘I’m committed to tackling these issues in our profession head on and directly.

‘‘I’m sorry to the members of our profession that we’ve been surprised and caught out by these results...

‘‘It is a disruption driven by what every one of us is committed to standing for – justice and equality.’’

‘‘As a profession, we must be ashamed and embarrassed at what our people have told us.’’ NZ Law Society president Kathryn Beck