An ex-Clayton Utz lawyer is suing her former firm for sexual harassment and victimisation, claiming that it was a hostile place to work.
Bridgette Styles worked as an associate at Clutz from August 2007 until she was fired in December 2008 for "performance-related issues", according to a Sydney Morning Herald report. Styles' complaints stem from a "romantic involvement" with fellow lawyer Luis Izzo.
When the relationship ended, Styles claims Izzo made defamatory comments about her to other employees who she alleges embarked on something of a campaign of harassment. This included putting photos of Izzo near her desk with the caption "I'm nice to look at" and running a Facebook group called "Clayton Utz Workplace Relations (Sydney) Whorebags", which she says the firm refused to stop.
When she threatened to complain, Styles claims that Izzo wrote a defamatory email about her which was circulated to lawyers both inside and outside the firm. Following her response to the note she says that she was investigated and terminated for "performance" issues. And now she's claiming for loss of income, humiliation and distress.
In Styles' first appearance before the court she spoke of a culture of innuendo and lewd remarks at the firm. Clutz strongly denied this, maintaining that sacking her was not victimisation. And the firm has said that Styles acted in a "belligerent" way towards Izzo, calling him a "slut", a "man-whore" and stating that he "slept with every girl in the firm".
The hearing will continue on 30 June.
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Bridgette Styles worked as an associate at Clutz from August 2007 until she was fired in December 2008 for "performance-related issues", according to a Sydney Morning Herald report. Styles' complaints stem from a "romantic involvement" with fellow lawyer Luis Izzo.
When the relationship ended, Styles claims Izzo made defamatory comments about her to other employees who she alleges embarked on something of a campaign of harassment. This included putting photos of Izzo near her desk with the caption "I'm nice to look at" and running a Facebook group called "Clayton Utz Workplace Relations (Sydney) Whorebags", which she says the firm refused to stop.
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A new poster for the Clutz kitchens |
When she threatened to complain, Styles claims that Izzo wrote a defamatory email about her which was circulated to lawyers both inside and outside the firm. Following her response to the note she says that she was investigated and terminated for "performance" issues. And now she's claiming for loss of income, humiliation and distress.
In Styles' first appearance before the court she spoke of a culture of innuendo and lewd remarks at the firm. Clutz strongly denied this, maintaining that sacking her was not victimisation. And the firm has said that Styles acted in a "belligerent" way towards Izzo, calling him a "slut", a "man-whore" and stating that he "slept with every girl in the firm".
The hearing will continue on 30 June.