DLA Piper partner Nicholas West has been referred to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal over allegations of "involvement in inappropriate emails with his client".

Sports and media partner West was embroiled in a scandal concerning exchanging sexist emails with Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore in 2014.

The case has been referred to the tribunal by the Solicitor Regulation Authority and the allegations are "as yet unproven".

The decision by the SRA was taken in August 2015 but the details have only just come to light.

The emails between West and Scudamore, which were leaked to the Sunday Mirror by a former temporary PA to Scudamore, referred to women as "irrational" and contained sexual innuendos.

In one email exchange, reported in the Mirror in May 2014, Scudamore wrote: "I had a girlfriend once called double decker… happy for you to play upstairs, but her dad got angry if you went below."

At the time the news of the scandal broke West said: "I sincerely apologise for my actions. In sending the emails in question I let myself, my firm and its clients down."

In addition DLA Piper said: "The firm has conducted its review. We have concluded that there was a failure to meet the high professional standards in which we take pride as a firm, whilst recognising that these were emails exchanged between friends and accessed without permission.

"We have accepted Mr West's assurances that these emails are not reflective of his beliefs and values and that there will be no recurrence of this behaviour."
Both Scudamore and West have remained in their positions.

DLA declined to comment on the tribunal.