Legal regulator barred ex-Dentons lawyer over sexual misconduct

A former Dentons associate has been barred from being involved in a legal practice by the regulators over sexual misconduct.

Gordon Herd, a Scottish lawyer who was employed by Dentons UK and Middle East had been working as an associate in its corporate department in June 2018.

The law firm reported him to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) in March 2022 over his conduct towards another employee at the firm.

The report stated that on 29 September 2021, he attended a work social event along with other colleagues from the firm at a bar in London.

During this event, the report outlined that he “touched a female colleague in a sexual manner without her consent. He placed his leg between her legs while rubbing her thighs, he rubbed her back and bottom and stood so close to her that she felt uncomfortable.”

There was an internal investigation at the firm, resulting in Dentons upholding his colleague’s grievance and arranged for a disciplinary meeting.

However, before that disciplinary meeting took place, Herd resigned from the firm in February 2022.

The SRA published its decision today on an order pursuant to section 43 made against him. A Section 43 order means no law firm shall employ or remunerate him in connection with his practice as a solicitor.

The SRA stated that Herd’s conduct was serious. It added that he was directly responsible for his own conduct which made his colleague feel vulnerable, uncomfortable and distressed.

He was also ordered to pay the SRA’s costs of £600.

Since leaving Dentons, Herd was working at City-based SeedLegals as a senior legal counsel, however, his LinkedIn has since been deleted.

Spokesperson for Dentons said: “We take such incidents very seriously and are committed to providing a working environment free from harassment and ensuring that all staff are treated, and treat others, with dignity and respect. The Associate in question left the firm following an internal investigation and we reported the incident to both the SRA and the Law Society of Scotland.”

A spokesperson for SeedLegals said: “Mr Herd is currently employed by SeedLegals as a member of our in-house legal team. He was not employed by SeedLegals at the time the conduct took place. SeedLegals takes the issue of work-place harassment and ethical behaviour extremely seriously and we believe that everyone has the right to work in a safe environment free from harassment by others. We maintain a strict code of conduct in relation to employee behaviour which all of our employees are required to adhere to.”

The story was updated to include comments from Dentons and SeedLegals.