Ryan Beckwith

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer partner Ryan Beckwith has resigned from the Magic Circle firm as the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) prepares to hand down its decision, after the lawyer was accused of engaging in non-consensual sexual activity with a junior associate.

The SDT today (October 10) found that 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 (SRA) Principles 2 (integrity) and 6 (public interest), and that he knew or ought to have known his conduct was inappropriate.

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

He has also been asked to pay the full costs of the hearing by the SRA, with the judgement following a nine-day hearing.

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 behaviour 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 programme to ensure our values and behaviours are consistently experienced across the firm, and I am confident that we will continue to achieve change where it is needed."