‘Textbook case of dysfunction’: Slater + Gordon slams explosive email as hoax

An email purportedly sent by a senior Slater + Gordon executive to another staffer, containing explosive allegations of dysfunction and savage personal critiques, has been denounced by the embattled law firm.

A Slater and Gordon billboard is seen outside their office in Melbourne. Picture: AAP

An email purportedly sent by a senior Slater + Gordon executive to another staffer containing explosive allegations of dysfunction in the firm and savage personal critiques of many colleagues has been denounced by the embattled law firm as a hoax.

The extraordinary email, purportedly sent by outgoing acting chief people officer Mari Ruiz-Matthyssen on Friday morning and bcc-ed to a wide number of Slater + Gordon employees, details claims of inappropriate conduct within the top-ranking law firm and scathing opinions about the alleged conduct of chief executive Dina Tutungi.

The email also contains a spreadsheet revealing the salaries of more than 900 staff members.

A large number of S+G employees are understood to be highly distressed by the allegations.

On Friday afternoon, responding to queries by The Australian, a spokesperson for Slater + Gordon said Ms Ruiz-Matthyssen “is not the author or the sender of that email, nor is that email address attributed to her, and she intends to report this matter to the police.

“The contents of the email include a range of disparaging remarks about individuals – what is presented as internal information in the email is incorrect and in many ways a work of fiction.

“We are taking this seriously due to the distress this has caused many of our team and are investigating the matter. We will also cooperate fully with any police action or investigation.”

The author of the email claims S+G is a “textbook case of dysfunction” and that private equity firm Allegro, which acquired Slaters in 2023, is “gutting the place” with the endgame “a polished-up shell to be sold off at the right price.

The Australian is not suggesting that the allegations and opinions in the email are accurate or valid, only that they have been widely circulated and caused distress at one of Australia’s leading law firms.

The email, which purports to be a “handover” from Ms Ruiz-Matthyssen to her successor, states that morale at S+G is “abysmal”.

“To be blunt, the situation at Slater and Gordon is a textbook case of dysfunction”, the email begins.

The unknown author claims that “Dina’s primary focus is her own bottom line. She’s determined to maximise her bonus and is laser-focused on keeping salaries locked down. She’s openly admitted her grand plan is to cash out with the MEP and retire with millions in a few years.

“The way she manipulated the EA (Enterprise Agreement) through—working both sides with the union and squeezing every cent out of the lowest-paid workers—is a masterclass in self-interest.

The extraordinary email details scathing opinions about the alleged conduct of chief executive Dina Tutung.

Slater + Gordon was taken over in April 2023 by private equity fund Allegro, but many staff have been unhappy with the arrangement.

“Allegro, true to private equity form, is gutting the place” the author of the email claims.

“Heads are rolling, and what remains is a skeletal crew barely keeping things together. The endgame? A polished-up shell to be sold off at the right price. Grim, but predictable.”

“Expect restructuring post-values launch—especially in Class Actions. A major case loss has sent them into a tailspin.”

The email then gives “a quick rundown of key ELT players and office dynamics”.

The Australian has chosen not to identify them but the observations include comments about senior figures at the firm such as “ruthlessly ambitious”, “lazy and unmotivated” and “senile and needs to retire”.

One senior male employee is described as having had three formal complaints of inappropriate conduct which were “conveniently buried” with two complainants already ‘ushered out.’

“The business has paid nearly $20K in coaching to make him a better leader and more palatable”, the email claims.

“Morale is abysmal, money is haemorrhaging. The ‘values’ are atrocious and will likely flop.”

The author signs off the email: “Best of luck—you’ll need it.”

The prominent workplace compensation firm has already been shaken by an underpayments scandal and a Federal Court fair work case.

Last year, former Slater + Gordon chief people officer Alicia Gleeson filed an explosive unfair dismissal suit in the Federal Court claiming she was fired after ­asserting that the under­payments by the firm were “deliberate and ­systemic” and that she was concerned about the “lack of action” to rectify them.

Slaters was accused of ­deliberately miscalculating staff leave entitlements, failing to ­immediately reconcile the ­underpayments, and sacking the human resources boss who blew the whistle on the ­alleged scandal.

The Australian has sought comment from Ms Ruiz-Matthyssen.

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