Six lawyers to be referred for investigation over allegations of sex and cocaine party culture in law firm

A leading NSW law firm is in damage control amid an investigation into drug use, blackmail and sex between colleagues that puts the future of the firm under a cloud.

A leading NSW law firm is in damage control with six of its lawyers – including senior staff – set to be referred for disciplinary investigation following claims that a drug and sex culture existed in their office.

The firm’s future is under a cloud after a NSW judge told a court the legal eagles will be referred for investigation by the NSW Law Society and the Office of the Legal Services Commissioner after the claims of debauchery were made during a criminal trial. The firm can’t be identified because of a non publication order.

It echoed the degenerate behaviour seen in the film, the Wolf of Wall Street, and included a lawyer supplying cocaine for an office party, sex between colleagues, and another proposing to blackmail a colleague to force them to quit their job.

The evidence of the debauched behaviour mirrored that from the Wolf of Wall Street

The court case came about after one of the lawyers made allegations that resulted in one of their colleagues being charged with serious criminal offences.

The colleague was found not guilty of all charges.

The allegations concerning the work culture at the firm emerged from evidence given in the recently completed criminal trial.

Those involved cannot be identified because of a wide ranging non publication order imposed by the court.

The court was told one lawyer wanted her colleague’s job and planned to blackmail the person in an attempt to force them to leave the law firm.

Other lawyers from the firm – including senior employees – were called to give evidence in the case about drug taking and sexual antics at office parties and social functions.

The evidence included that one lawyer arranged for cocaine to be supplied to members of the firm just hours after attending a formal ceremony where they were admitted to practice as a lawyer in the NSW Supreme Court.

The court heard details of cocaine (similar to that pictured above) was used at office parties by members of the law firm.

The lawyer took part in using the cocaine after arranging for the drug to be supplied at the firm’s office party to celebrate their admission to the Supreme Court, the court heard.

The judge hearing the criminal trial noted with concern that the lawyer supplied the drug just hours after they agreed to take the Supreme Court’s oath to be of good character and of fit and proper standing.

The court also heard the lawyer and the colleague they accused of committing the criminal act also shared cocaine off a microwave plate in the law firm’s kitchen.

The following day, another employee of the law firm came to the office to complete some work and also had to bring their children.

The court heard the children found the cocaine encrusted $20 note. The parent cleaned off the cocaine and later allowed the children to spend it on a pizza.

The trial was also told one lawyer strategized methods that could be used to entrap their colleague, including threatening to tell their spouse about the alleged illegal behaviour unless they agreed to resign.

The judge hearing the case is now set to refer the lawyers for further investigation by the OLSC and NSW Law Society after hearing the evidence about drug use and sexual activity.

The judge told the court two lawyers should be referred for investigation into their alleged behaviour, which included the drug use.

Four other employees of the firm were also set to be referred for investigation.

One was accused of partaking in the partying behaviour.

A second did not partake in the behaviour but is accused of not taking action to prevent it.

A solicitor and barrister, who do not work at the firm, were also set to be referred.

This was over concerns they allegedly interfered with the police investigation by conducting their own investigation – at the request of the law firm – into an alleged criminal act.