Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) was listed as the principal legal adviser to the infamous Presidents Club Charitable Trust for at least five years, according to the organisation's accounts, it has emerged. The news came after an event brochure published online yesterday (25 January) revealed that disputes partner Graham Shear this year served as a committee member for the charity.

The UK top 20 law firm was listed as the charity's solicitors on all of its most recent annual accounts filed with the Charity Commission for the five years from 2011-12 to 2015-16. Coutts & Co was listed as the charity's banker, with City accountancy firm Carter Backer Winter providing audit services.

The scandal, which has brought an end to the charity, broke earlier this week after a report by an undercover Financial Times journalist told of hostesses at the annual dinner being subjected to "groping, lewd comments" and "repeated requests" to join attendees in bedrooms at London's Dorchester hotel.

On the seating plan for the the now infamous event, Shear – BLP's international commercial disputes head – was assigned a seat on a table hosted by Presidents Club co-chair David Meller. The event brochure, posted online by The Guardian, also lists Shear among seven individuals on the organising committee.

Shear has been at BLP since 2009, when he joined from City firm Teacher Stern. He has advised a raft of celebrity clients, including popstars Robbie Williams and Rita Ora and England and Arsenal footballer Ashley Cole. In 2013, he led a BLP team which advised Welsh footballer Gareth Bale on his record-setting €100m transfer from Tottenham Hotspur to Real Madrid.

In a statement issued days after BLP was contacted for comment, the firm denied that it was the charity's principal legal adviser, despite the account filings.

It declined to provide further details but said: "BLP is not, as incorrectly stated in The Presidents Club Trustees' Annual Report, The Presidents Club's principal legal advisers. We have done occasional pieces of work for this charity on a pro bono basis, as we do for a number of other registered charities.

"An extensive review of all the firm's associations, including those related to charity, is now being undertaken to ensure that in the future the firm's diversity and other values are reflected in the choices made by all partners and others involved with the firm.

"Our partner Graham Shear is extremely embarrassed and deeply regrets his attendance and any association with the dinner and apologises unreservedly."

The Presidents Club brochure welcome address, written by joint chairs Meller and Bruce Ritchie, states that despite a "strange" year, which has seen "Trump & Weinstein dominate the front pages" the Presidents Club "remains a constant" and has "successfully managed to withstand all the uncertainties of our times".

In the wake of the Financial Times report and the ensuing fallout, the charity has announced that it will close down, saying in a statement: "The trustees have decided that the Presidents Club will not host any further fundraisings events."

There is no suggestion that any of these lawyers were involved in any inappropriate behaviour.

In a statement, a Mishcon spokesperson said that Minkoff was "embarrassed" at being associated with the event and added that though he did not witness any of the behaviour reported, he did not dispute it.

A Fried Frank spokesperson said: "Dan did not attend the dinner and left shortly after arriving. Dan and Fried Frank are appalled by, and completely disassociate themselves from, the reported behaviour."