Sydney Uni bans ‘Rake’ barrister Charles Waterstreet over inappropriate accusation

PROMINENT barrister Charles Wat­erstreet has been barred by his alma mater Sydney University from offering jobs to its law students after a furore over claims he made sexually inappropriate comments to one and showed her a lewd video.

• Charles Waterstreet denies he’s a rake after sexual allegation
• Charles Waterstreet’s recruitment process isn’t complicated

PROMINENT barrister Charles Wat­erstreet has been barred by his alma mater Sydney University from offering jobs to its law students after a furore over claims he made sexually inappropriate comments to one and showed her a lewd video.

The University’s Careers Centre yesterday cancelled a job advertisement by Mr Waterstreet’s Rake Chambers and said it would not accept any more as students staged a snap protest at the alleged treatment of young paralegal Tina Huang.

Barrister Charles Waterstreet speaks with the media following the allegations. Picture: David Swift.

A spokeswoman for the University said that student welfare was paramount. “The careers centre has delisted the job advertisement and put a ban on any further ­advertising by Rake Chambers.”

Ms Huang alleges she quit her job at Waterstreet’s Rake Chambers — named after the hit TV series he ­inspired and co-created — just three hours in after he showed her images of naked women and made her watch porn and process bills for sex toys.

Mr Waterstreet denies the allegations and says any sexual material he showed Ms Huang was related to evidence in cases he was working on.

Law student Tina Huang made the allegations about Mr Waterstreet.

Ms Huang did not attend yesterday’s protest, according to the University’s former Women’s Officer, because her lawyers advised her against it. She told the ABC that she “felt quite sickened” by her ­interview with Mr Waterstreet after he allegedly told her he liked to go to sex parties and asked if she “loved threesomes”.

Barrister Charles Waterstreet says he is being “victimised”. Picture: John Grainger

A petition has been launched to stop the university advertising jobs in Waterstreet’s chambers. Picture: Twitter/anna hush

But she decided to accept the job because of Mr Waterstreet’s reputation as a talented barrister.

“At that point, I hadn’t ­realised that I was being sexually harassed, I study Gender Studies and Law I think I’m pretty [socially aware],” she said. “But the power ­dynamic was so strong and so imbalanced, he did such a good job of normalising his behaviour.”

Students protest on the lawns at the University of NSW. Picture: Twitter/anna hush

Newtown local MP Jenny Leong praised what she called Ms Huang’s bravery. Neither the police nor the NSW Bar Association is investigating any complaints against the well-known criminal lawyer who received support from friends yesterday.