Guy Albeck ‘in breach of agreement’ when bringing case against Dentons, Doug Stipanicev

A Jewish partner who is suing the world’s largest law firm over bullying allegations and anti-Semitic conspiracy theories did so in breach of a deal, new tranche of documents reveals.

Doug Stipanicev.

A Jewish partner who is suing the world’s largest law firm over bullying allegations and Covid-19 and anti-Semitic conspiracy theories did so in breach of an agreement releasing the company of any further litigation, a new tranche of court documents has revealed.

Guy Albeck, who is suing Dentons and its Australian chair Doug Stipanicev in the Federal Court citing claims he was forced to resign after making complaints of bullying against another partner, signed a release upon his departure from the company in June.

In signing the sweeping agreement, he promised to never bring legal action against the firm or its employees over his previously reported allegations of bullying, discrimination and victimisation, or to ever repeat the allegations publicly.

Dentons and Mr Stipanicev have filed separate cross-claims against Mr Albeck, alleging he breached the terms of the agreement when choosing to file the fair work case against them.

In its cross claim, obtained by The Australian, Dentons alleges Mr Albeck breached the agreement when he disclosed its “terms and existence” in filing the Federal Court case. The firm also alleges Mr Albeck breached the agreement when he “raised numerous allegations against the company and individuals relating to bullying, victimisation, discrimination, adverse action and reputational damage” in submitting his statement of claim.

“As a result of Mr Albeck’s breach of the Agreement, Dentons has suffered, and continues to suffer, loss and damage,” the cross claim reads. “Dentons is entitled to the relief claimed and any other relief the court sees fit.”

Guy Albeck. Picture: LinkedIn

Mr Stipanicev has filed a near-identical claim.

The cross claims come as the latest revelation in a messy legal spat engulfing the firm and its senior employees.

Dentons last Tuesday announced Mr Stipanicev had “decided to stand aside” while the firm conducts an investigation into his conduct, following allegations he sent a “conspiratorial and anti-Semitic” report to Mr Albeck.

The report allegedly included claims Covid-19 vaccines contain “living organisms with tentacles and self-assembling ­nanobots” and argued a “criminal network of satanists”, including a well-known Jewish banking family, was seeking to “rule the world”.

Mr Stipanicev last week issued a statement rejecting Mr Albeck’s claims and saying he “abhors” comments made by the US doctor who wrote the conspiratorial report.

In a statement of claim filed with the court, Mr Albeck also said he made multiple complaints of bullying against Dentons partner and former board member Kon Tsiakis over a three-year period.

Although an HR director found eight of Mr Albeck’s bullying allegations were substantiated, according to the statement of claim Mr Stipanicev told Mr Albeck he had “engaged in conduct less than what is expected from a partner” and had “damaged the culture of the Melbourne office”.

After conducting inquiries with Dentons employees, Mr Stipanicev wrote to Mr Albeck alleging five instances of serious misconduct. He directed Mr Albeck to resign, saying otherwise the alleged misconduct would be referred to the Dentons board with a recommendation to terminate his employment.

Mr Albeck said although the letter was not accompanied by any evidence, he believed if the matter was referred to the board he would likely be dismissed. As such, he resigned on June 9 last year.

Mr Albeck negotiated a settlement agreement which included a requirement that Dentons “would keep the agreement and the negotiations leading up to it confidential”.

After he left, however, he became aware of “at least four Dentons employees” who viewed material related to his departure, which he claims was in breach of the settlement.

Mr Albeck, in a response to the cross-claim, says Dentons were first to breach the agreement, and he therefore became “entitled to repeat” his allegations against the firm.

In its defence, Dentons admitted that four employees who were not involved in the negotiation of the agreement had viewed some of its material.

“The four Dentons employees who viewed the material were able to do so because the material had been inadvertently misfiled into an incorrect public folder in the iManage document management system instead of the private secure folder allocated to the material,” the defence reads.

Judge Michael Wheelahan last week made orders that the parties proceed to mediation prior to Christmas. If mediation is unsuccessful, the matter will be heard at trial in May next year.