A witness who used to work with a top Wellington lawyer — a former Russell McVeagh partner now undergoing a disciplinary hearing over allegations of sexual misconduct — testified today that she “never felt very safe” because of the attitude he and other male members of the team had towards women.
The woman, who has name suppression, told the tribunal she found the lawyer to be highly unprofessional and that he frequently made inappropriate comments.
At one stage, the woman said, she was the only female member of the team and felt she couldn’t speak up when inappropriate, sexual comments were made about somebody’s appearance.
“I lost confidence in myself,” she said.
She also testified that when she went to human resources about the inappropriate behaviour, she was told to see a counsellor.
“That made me feel how I was feeling was my fault and my problem.”
Two women described their fear of the man and described feeling manipulated by him. (Source: Other)
The hearing centres around seven charges of misconduct, or unsatisfactory conduct.
Earlier in the week, four women gave details of a Christmas party in 2015 where they all say the man sexually harassed or assaulted them at different times in the evening.
The witness today was called on to give a wider character background to the man and his day-to-day interactions.
Another witness called on today said the four women who say they were assaulted, along with another woman whose experiences are not part of the hearing, came to her with their concerns.
“Looking after the clerks was a fulltime job,” the woman said of the emotional toll hearing their allegations had on her.
This witness, who has name suppression, did not work on the same team as the man at the centre of the allegations, but said his team had a misogynistic culture and women in it didn’t last very long.
It’s now put the spotlight on the whole legal profession and other industries. (Source: Other)
When asked to describe the man’s team in two to three words, the witness replied, “toxic masculinity”.
She said the firm did not take the complaints from the women involved seriously, noting that the man was not stood down at any point during the firm’s investigation into the claims.
The woman told the tribunal she was told she was a “troublemaker” for speaking out about the alleged offending.
It found a culture involving “excessive drinking” and at times “sexually inappropriate behaviour”. (Source: Other)
“It made me feel very, very small. Gaslighting is probably the best way to describe it.”
This is the third day of a disciplinary hearing into the man’s alleged sexual misconduct before the New Zealand Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal.
The man is facing seven charges of misconduct, or unsatisfactory conduct, and is due to give his evidence later today.
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