An Auckland law lecturer is describing sexual misconduct
in law firms as endemic.
Photo: 123RF
Several
Victoria University law students on internships at Russell
McVeagh have complained of being sexually assaulted by
lawyers two years ago.
In a Facebook post on Saturday,
AUT senior law lecturer Khylee Quince said that some years
ago a student had told her of an evening drinking session at
Russell McVeagh’s Auckland office which ended with staff
having sex on the boardroom table with several
students.
Ms Quince said the reason why she decided to
speak out was because it was an “open secret” that those
sort of things had gone on in big law companies for
years.
Khylee Quince told Morning Report she’s had
dozens of messages since going public at the
weekend.
Click a link to play audio (or right-click to
download) in either
MP3 format.
“They’ve [Russell McVeagh] done themselves
reputational damage” – Khylee Quince
“Lots of
survivor stories, ranging from the very serious to the quite
bizarre, behaviours around humiliation and forcibly
embarrassing young women for fun.”
Ms Quince said the
Auckland incidents had been a wake-up call to the university
in advising students about alcohol and looking after
themselves, although interns continued to go to the law
firm.
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