City Lawyer Faces Suspension Over Racist and Inappropriate Conduct at Firm Events
A City lawyer has been suspended following allegations of making racist comments, groping colleagues, and engaging in extreme drunken behaviour at work parties, as detailed in a recent tribunal hearing.
Allegations of Racist and Antisemitic Remarks
Ryan Williams, formerly a partner at SBP Law, was accused of making antisemitic claims to Jewish colleagues. In 2021, at a party in an East Finchley pub in north London, he allegedly told a Jewish colleague that 'racism to Jews does not exist' and stated, 'You're all on top.'
Additionally, Williams reportedly used a racial slur to describe a black opponent in a charity boxing match, repeatedly referring to him as a 'tall, large n*****,' according to reports from The Telegraph.
Drunken Misconduct and Inappropriate Behaviour
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), which brought the case against Williams, claimed his behaviour became increasingly erratic during the evening. He was said to have thrown pizza around the pub garden and became 'incredibly drunk,' to the point where an Uber driver refused to pick him up.
Williams was reportedly incapable of standing up and, in his intoxicated state, urinated on his clothes. The incident highlighted a pattern of misconduct that extended beyond verbal abuse.
Further Incidents of Harassment and Discrimination
Prior to the pub party, Williams allegedly made antisemitic remarks to a Jewish colleague while working on a case related to a Jewish security charity, suggesting that security outside synagogues existed only because Jewish people have lots of money.
At a Christmas party at the Dorchester Hotel two months later, he was accused of telling the same colleague they only got their job due to their faith and that Jewish people think they are above everyone else. He also referenced another colleague's 'big Jew hands.'
After the party, at a bar, the tribunal heard that Williams slapped a female colleague on the inner thigh and touched her and another colleague on the bottom, leading to accusations of groping.
Investigation and Tribunal Findings
The SRA investigated these accusations and referred the case to the Solicitors' Disciplinary Tribunal, alleging breaches of bullying, harassment, and discrimination rules. Williams denied the claims but stepped down from his £125,000-a-year partnership role at SBP Law. He is now a partner at corporate London firm Healys LLP.
The tribunal found all charges proved, and it is understood that Williams has been suspended for 12 months, with a full judgment yet to be released. The costs he will have to pay, which could reach as high as £220,000, will be decided at a later date.
Responses from Involved Parties
A spokesman for SBP Law told The Telegraph: 'Immediately these events were brought to our attention, we suspended Mr Williams, and upon our investigation of matters, he resigned from the practice. We do not tolerate such conduct.'
Mr Williams and Healys were contacted for comment but have not publicly responded to the allegations or the tribunal's decision.
