SDT Inside

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer partner Ryan Beckwith has been fined but not banned from the profession, following a nine-day-long hearing into allegations of sexual misconduct.

He has been fined £35,000 ($43,532) and ordered to pay costs of £200,000 ($24,8757).

Beckwith resigned from Freshfields on Oct. 10, the tribunal heard. He had been placed on indefinite leave from the Magic Circle firm in December last year.

It had been alleged that the Freshfields restructuring partner engaged in sexual activity with one of his junior associates without her consent. However, the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) today agreed with the defense that Beckwith's behavior fell short of requiring him to be banned from practicing as a solicitor.

The SDT found that Ryan Beckwith did engage in sexual activity and knew or ought to have known that the complainant was intoxicated to the extent her judgement was impaired.

It found that he breached Solicitors Regulation Authority Principles 2 (integrity) and 6 (public interest), and that he knew or ought to have known his conduct was inappropriate.

Throughout the hearing, Beckwith had argued that the encounter with the complainant Person A was always consensual, and that his only failing was a personal, rather than a professional one. 

Prosecuting its case, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) had been of the view that his actions fell well below the standard expected of a member of the profession, and that in doing so, he breached two key SRA principles: to act with integrity, and in a manner that maintains the public trust in the profession. 

The allegations followed two incidents that occurred in quick succession in 2016: one following a work-organized trip to Le Manoir in Oxfordshire; and the other – the key night in question – following after-work drinks at The Harrow pub near the firm's headquarters.

The complainant, known as Person A, first accused Beckwith of kissing her "on the lips" in the first incident, then, in the second, of taking advantage of her sexually when she was "significantly impaired" and not able to consent. 

Williamson and Beckwith argued that the complainant had made false allegations against him, and that it was she who initiated the physical contact, stressing that his conduct was only inappropriate from a "marriage perspective", not from a professional one.

Beckwith's counsel Alisdair Williamson QC argued in mitigation earlier this morning that Beckwith should be spared from being banned from the profession as he had been a "shining example" and argued that his behavior may have been inappropriate, but was "not an abuse of authority".

He asked the decision panel to be "merciful" in its judgment, arguing that the lawyer's "prospects are bleak".

Freshfields senior partner Edward Braham said in a statement: "We note the ruling of the SDT tribunal earlier today. Ryan Beckwith has been on indefinite leave from the firm for some time and has now resigned as a partner with immediate effect.

"The firm takes all complaints extremely seriously. We want a culture that is welcoming and allows our people to flourish, and we work hard to achieve that. We are running a firm-wide program to ensure our values and behaviors are consistently experienced across the firm, and I am confident that we will continue to achieve change where it is needed."

Beckwith's solicitor Brett Wilson partner Nick Brett issued a statement on behalf of Beckwith, stating: "Mr. Beckwith is disappointed with the finding of the tribunal. He is presently taking advice on the outcome and it would not be appropriate for him to comment further at this stage."