Fraught and steamy

Att’y big was a total ‘jerk’ in sauna: staffer

A partner at a prestigious Big Apple law firm was busted for pleasuring himself in front of a stunned steam-roommate at a luxe Wall Street gym, authorities told The Post.

Steven Hammond is due in Manhattan Criminal Court on Monday to answer a public lewdness charge in connection with the May 21 incident at Equinox, where the victim — an employee of the gym — claims the allegedly lewd litigator held his gaze for at least 15 seconds before doing the deed.

“I went into the steam room, I saw that gentleman sitting there, so I sat down and he looked at me, and then he started to jerk off,” the 27-yearold staffer told The Post.

“We were the only ones in the steam room at the time . . . he looked at me again, inferring, ‘Let’s do this.’

“Ugh!” the revolted gym worker replied.

The “disgusting” incident lasted more than a minute, the employee alleged, adding he was initially too stunned to find the exit.

The man claims he was encouraged not to file a report.

“It’s really discouraging for me because I work for a company that doesn’t support me,” he said, adding he’s seen managers work “10 times harder to help people” who have lost their cellphones.

He eventually went to cops — who nabbed Hammond, 65, at 4:30 a.m. on June 29. He was released on a desk appearance ticket.

Hammond denied the allegations, slamming them as “a complete fabrication.”

His firm, Hughes Hubbard and Reed — described by American Lawyer as “among the nation’s legal elite” — specializes in international commercial litigation and has handled arbitrations before the International Chamber of Commerce and the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law.

Equinox faces lawsuits from dozens who claim the company ignores lewd behavior, and even sexual assault, inside its steam rooms.

The gym sent customers an e-mail Thursday outlining house rules warning against “inappropriate behavior.”

“It’s still going on every single day, and it’s a crime,” said attorney Marc Held, who represents the Equinox Wall Street victim, among others.

Equinox said every customer gets a copy of the house rules the gym chain e-mailed last week.