23-06-2025
Solicitor at self-styled 'work hard, play hard' law firm fined almost £100,000 for groping two female colleagues
A high-flying solicitor at a 'work hard, play hard' law firm has been ordered to pay almost £100,000 after groping two female colleagues.
'Well-remunerated' Lewis Brady molested the women after drinking heavily on nights out, a disciplinary hearing was told.
The tribunal found he touched one woman's bottom while standing behind her at a bar and touched the breast of another married colleague in a taxi home from a night out.
The 33-year-old managing associate said he had an 'awful feeling' the day after one of the incidents that he had acted inappropriately.
After finding him guilty of misconduct the Solicitors Regulation Authority has suspended Mr Brady from practising as a solicitor for 12 months.
The shamed solicitor must also pay legal costs of £95,389.
The hearing, held in London, was told Mr Brady worked as a solicitor at US firm Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe in London.
The law firm serves the sectors of technology, energy, infrastructure, finance and health tech.
Mr Brady, who has been a solicitor since 2017, took part in the 'work hard, play hard' culture of the firm which saw employees go out to bars and nightclubs after working long hours, the panel was told.
The tribunal was told 'heavy drinking was a defining aspect of these gatherings', and it found 'within this setting, the 'pushing of boundaries' was a commonly accepted aspect of social interaction'.
A colleague named only as Person A by the tribunal claimed he had inappropriately touched her in October 2021 at an afterparty in Apulia, an Italian restaurant near the Barbican.
Following a wine tasting event organised by their employer, Mr Brady and Person A went to the restaurant along with other colleagues.
The tribunal heard: 'At Apulia, [Mr Brady] touched Person A's bottom while standing beside her at the bar, although no one witnessed the act.
'The touching occurred on more than one occasion.
'The nature of the touching was unwanted by Person A, inappropriate and sexually motivated.'
The tribunal was told Mr Brady also groped a married colleague, referred to as Person B by the tribunal.
The incident happened in March 2022 when he was sharing a taxi with Person B following a trainee handover dinner.
The tribunal heard: 'During the initial part of the journey, while conversing, [Mr Brady] put his arms around Person B on two occasions, neither of which initially caused her undue concern.
'Approximately ten minutes into the journey, [Mr Brady] placed his right hand under Person B's bra, touching her left breast.
'In response, Person B immediately pulled his hand away, smacked it back, and confronted him, saying, "What do you think you are doing? No".
'Shortly afterwards, [Mr Brady] again put his hand under Person B's bra, squeezing her nipple, to which Person B responded by pushing him away with her left arm.
'During the journey, [Mr Brady] touched Person B's breast a third time, prompting Person B to grab his right wrist and firmly tell him, "No, you can't do that. Stop", after which she released his wrist.'
The tribunal heard the nature of Brady's touching was 'unwanted, inappropriate and sexually motivated'.
The journey with Person B ended 'without further incident', with Brady messaging his colleague the following day.
The incident in the taxi was reported on March 28, 2022, after the woman 'sent him a message demanding an apology and a 'promise you are never going to do it again'.
'[Mr Brady] acknowledged Person B's account of what happened during the journey, in his response to her message when he replied, "Holy f*** I'm not even sure what I was doing. I had an awful feeling the next day I was being inappropriate",' the tribunal heard.
'He immediately followed this with, 'I am sorry'.'
The tribunal also heard Person A 'sought assistance from a specialist psychologist' because of Mr Brady's behaviour towards her, and Person B said her 'marital and work relationships' had been negatively impacted by what he did.
Mr Brady denied all of the allegations made against him by Person A and Person B, and said he was 'heartbroken' hearing evidence from people he 'had considered close friends'.
He said in mitigation the proceedings had left him feeling suicidal.
The tribunal found Mr Brady's conduct was 'sexually motivated', and he was suspended from April 2025.
It said he is currently 'employed outside the profession'.
