Lawyers from Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP), Kingsley Napley and Fried Frank have been identified as among the hundreds of men on the guestlist for the Presidents Club Charity Dinner at the centre of a sexual harassment scandal.

BLP head of international commercial disputes Graham Shear was assigned a seat on a table hosted by David Meller, the co-chair of the Presidents Club who yesterday (24 January) resigned from his role as a non-executive director on the Department of Education's board. 

It is not known whether Shear attended the event; however, he is one of seven individuals listed among the event's organising committee, according to the event brochure published today (25 January) by The Guardian.

Other lawyers named on the seating plan include Kingsley Napley real estate consultant Francis Weaver. Weaver confirmed that he attended, but declined to comment further. He was listed as sitting on a table hosted by property consultant Harvey Soning.

Fried Frank London corporate and private equity partner Dan Oates is also named on the guestlist, although he told Legal Week that he did not attend the event, and did not wish to comment further. Oates, who joined Fried Frank in 2015 from O'Melveny & Myers, where he was London head of M&A, is also a former Kirkland & Ellis partner.

Yesterday (24 January), Legal Week revealed that Mishcon de Reya partner Nick Minkoff was listed as a guest at the controversial men-only charity event. Minkoff, who has since confirmed that he attended, sat on a table sponsored by Mishcon real estate client Londonnewcastle.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the firm said: "Nick Minkoff attended the evening as a guest in order to support good causes. He is embarrassed by being associated with this event and has confirmed that he never personally witnessed any of the reported behaviours but does not dispute them. He himself condemns any such behaviours."

There is no suggestion that any of the lawyers attending were involved in any of the behaviour at the heart of the scandal, which was revealed in a Financial Times investigation by an undercover reporter. The report detailed how hostesses were subject to "groping, lewd comments" and "repeated requests" to join attendees in bedrooms at London's Dorchester hotel.

The FT reporter saw hostesses subjected to harassment over a six-hour period, during a charity auction in which lots included "a night at Soho's Windmill strip club and a course of plastic surgery with the invitation to: 'Add spice to your wife'".

Yesterday, The Presidents Club announced that it would close. In a statement, it said: "The trustees have decided that the Presidents Club will not host any further fundraisings events. Remaining funds will be distributed in an efficient manner to children's charities and it will then be closed."

Great Ormond Street Hospital has said it will return donations raised by the organisation.

BLP, Kingsley Napley and Fried Frank were contacted for comment.