Owen Hughes: Bangalow solicitor’s practising certificate refused

The NSW Law Society has deemed a NSW north coast solicitor found to have sexually harassed his then-employee is not a fit person to hold a practising certificate.

Owen Hughes at the Federal Court in Brisbane. Picture: Liam Kidston

The Law Society of NSW has determined a NSW north coast solicitor found to have sexually harassed his then-employee is not a fit person to practise law.

Owen Hughes, 62, was sued by a former employee – Catherine Mia Hill – in 2019 for sexual harassment.

The Federal Circuit found Hughes had harassed Ms Hill and awarded her $170,000 in general and aggravated damages – a judgment which was later upheld on appeal before three judges in the Federal Court of Australia in 2020.

A court previously heard Hughes had emailed Ms Hill repeatedly seeking a romantic relationship, subjected her to unwanted hugging, and twice sprawled on her bed during a Sydney work trip.

Hughes denied his actions constituted sexual harassment, but Judge Salvatore Vasta found that they did and ordered Hughes to pay Ms Hill $170,000 in general and aggravated damages.

That judgment was upheld in 2020 by the full Federal Court of Australia after Hughes appealed.

In a decision made on April 3, the Council of the Law Society of NSW found Hughes was “not a fit and proper person to hold a practising certificate”.

As a result, the Law Society elected to refuse the grant of a practising certificate to Hughes.

The conduct upon which the Law Society made the decision was based in part on the Federal Circuit Court findings in May 2019 and Federal Court findings in July 2020 that Hughes’ conduct amounted to sexual harassment.