Login
An email scandal and its fallout: What’s hot in law this week (24–28 February)
It’s been an extraordinary past week for Australia’s legal profession, with an explosive email rocking one of the nation’s biggest law firms. Here is your weekly round-up of the biggest stories for Australia’s legal profession.
Lawyers Weekly
For the week from 24 to 28 February, these were the 10 most-read stories on Lawyers Weekly (in case you missed them):
1. Judge disqualified for unusual conflict prior to bench
A Federal Court judge has disqualified himself from presiding over a proceeding he was recently involved in as senior counsel.
2. ‘A work of fiction’: Slater & Gordon to investigate ‘disparaging’ firm-wide email
An extraordinary firm-wide email circulated within Slater & Gordon, purportedly sent by its outgoing chief people officer, is set to be reported to police.
The interim chief people officer at Slater & Gordon is taking legal action in the wake of an explosive all-staff email, purporting to be sent from her, and says a “cursory” look at the correspondence should make clear who the real sender is.
4. Slater & Gordon refers ‘malicious’ email to Victoria Police
A “thorough forensic investigation” is underway at Slater & Gordon following an extraordinary email to all staff containing supposed salary and performance information and allegations of apparent dysfunction at the firm. The matter has also been referred to police, via the Australian Cyber Security Centre.
5. Firm employee alleges she was fired after affair with boss
An employee of a Canberra law firm complained she was fired after a seven-month affair with her married boss.
6. Prosecutor pushed out of ODPP over ‘serious’ blunders
A solicitor has fought against his termination from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions over several allegations of poor performance, including questioning advice from more senior lawyers, rejecting a plea offer without authority, and leaving counsel uninstructed.
7. Qld firm fails to block paralegal’s unfair dismissal complaint
A Queensland law firm has failed for the second time to shut down a paralegal’s unfair dismissal application.
8. Court shuts down class action against law firm for allegedly inadequate work
A Melbourne law firm will not have to face a class action brought on behalf of about 700 group members who alleged negligent advice, but it could still face a raft of individual proceedings.
9. Minters partner takes Adelaide-based insurance team to Mills Oakley
A partner and his team have left MinterEllison for fellow BigLaw practice Mills Oakley, bolstering the latter’s insurance offering in Adelaide.
10. Magistrate kept out of Children’s Court despite objections
A Perth magistrate has failed to convince a court to overturn a decision that saw her moved out of the Children’s Court to spend the majority of her time in the Magistrates Court.
