Ex-Freshfields partner Ryan Beckwith to take sex case fine to High Court
Ex-Freshfields partner Ryan Beckwith who was fined by the solicitors’ watchdog after a drunken sexual incident with a junior lawyer has lodged an appeal against the decision in the High Court.
In October, married restructuring lawyer Beckwith was fined £35,000 and ordered to pay costs of £200,000 by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT).
The tribunal found that Beckwith had a sexual encounter with a junior lawyer who he was in a position of responsibility over when he knew she was “heavily intoxicated and that her judgement and decision making ability was impaired”.
It said Beckwith’s conduct engaging in sexual activity with Person A was inappropriate and considered he owed his junior colleague a duty of care.
The junior lawyer, known as Person A, accused Beckwith of taking advantage of her when she was too drunk to consent to sexual activity.
Beckwith denied the accusations, and characterised the night the two spent at her flat as “a consensual sexual encounter between two adults”.
Watchdog the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) had said it was considering an appeal against the decision of the tribunal which did not suspend Beckwith or throw him out of the profession.
However, yesterday the SRA said it had decided not to appeal having taken legal advice.
Beckwith’s solicitor Nick Brett of Brett Wilson today said: “On Wednesday 19 February 2020, Mr Beckwith filed grounds to appeal against the decision of the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal dated 30 January 2020 and it would not be appropriate to comment further pending the hearing in the High Court which will be listed in due course.”
The Solicitors Regulation Authority declined to comment.
More to follow