Courtroom creeps: Sex pest lawyers punished for harassment
It is uncommon to see lawyers and judges punished for actions so clearly wrong. Incidents of sexual harassment in the Australian legal sector may come as a surprise to some. After all, lawyers and judges are supposed to be ethical, law-abiding exemplars of our justice system. But as you’ll read in this article, some have been caught and rightly punished for taking advantage of younger female colleagues.
Survey data consistently reveals that female lawyers face a disproportionately high risk of being sexually harassed. An International Bar Association survey, for example, found that around 47 per cent of Australian female respondents had been sexually harassed at work. This was compared to 37 per cent globally.
Similarly, a survey by the Women Lawyers Association of NSW reported that over 70 per cent of female lawyers had experienced some form of sexual harassment. Below, we’ll share some of the most scandalous examples of sexual harassment by prominent Australian solictors, barristers and judges in the past year.
Sydney barrister fined $20K for ‘unwanted sexual touching’
In July 2025, Sydney barrister Jamie Darams SC made news headlines for all the wrong reasons. The NSW Bar Association found him guilty of two separate instances of unwanted sexual touching of a female solicitor. The sexual harassment took place at the 2023 Christmas party of his law firm, Greenway Chambers, held at a hotel in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.
In the first incident, Mr Darams was found to have grabbed the female solicitor’s backside while she was on the dance floor. Later that night, Mr Darams was involved in a separate sexual harassment incident with the same woman.
He proceeded to run his hand along her “from the top of her back to down past her backside” while they were both standing. Shortly after, while Mr Darams and colleagues were sitting at a table, he ran his hand from her thigh to her knee three separate times. The female solicitor twice pushed his hand away.
Forced to apologise for sexual harassment
The NSW Bar Association ordered that Mr Daramas pay a $10,000 fine for each of the two incidents and that he provide a written apology to the female solicitor and her firm. The Bar Association also mandated that he undertake a minimum of 10 hours of one-to-one counselling at his own expense. This counselling was specifically ordered to address sexual harassment, respect for women and the excessive consumption of alcohol.
Following the NSW Bar Associations decision, Mr Darams described his actions to media as a “foolish error of judgment.” He said that he had been under the influence of alcohol but claimed “full” responsibility for his behaviour, describing it as “utterly” unacceptable. He offered the victim an apology and said that he had learned a “great deal” from being held accountable.
‘I need you to not be emotional if I am hiring a woman’: Prominent WA lawyer faces sexual harassment allegations
In May 2024, a law clerk launched a civil claim against Perth-based barrister and solicitor Jeremy Scudds. The clerk, a female 40 years younger than Mr Scudds, alleged to the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia that he sexually harassed her multiple times during her employment at boutique criminal law firm Porter Scudds.
Mr Scudds is a prominent legal figure in Western Australia. He’s a leading criminal defence barrister and solicitor who has also worked as a university lecturer, social worker and regularly appeared as the ‘Night Line Lawyer’ on Perth radio station 6PR.
The law clerk is seeking declarations that Mr Scudds sexually harassed her and created a hostile work environment. Her civil claim also seeks to hold Porter Scudds vicariously liable for his behaviour, in addition to pursuing damages and costs.
Sexual harassment allegedly began with job interview
The alleged incidents took place from September 2023 to February 2024 while the clerk was employed at Porter Scudds. She claimed the first incident of sexual harassment took place during her job interview, when Mr Scudds told her “you can’t be emotional, I need you to not be emotional if I am hiring a woman.”
Once she was employed at Porter Scudds, the law clerk alleged that Mr Scudds said to her that she did “not put on weight” like his wife. On another occasion, after the clerk put on Mr Scudd’s wife’s court robes, she claimed he said that she appeared “taller.”
Sexual harassment allegedly escalated into inappropriate touching
The most serious allegations related to an incident that occurred the night before the clerk resigned in early February 2024. The clerk claimed Mr Scudds told her that good lawyers “need to act out the case.” He then allegedly pressed himself against her from behind “and reached his arms around her and across her breasts.”
The clerk claimed that after Mr Scudds let her go, he then gazed down at her crotch and told her her fly was undone. In her civil suit, the clerk said that the incident made her feel “offended, intimidated and humiliated.”
Lawyer denied all allegations
In response to the civil claim, Mr Scudds and Porter Scudds’s legal team denied all the allegations. It offered a backstory to the law clerk’s allegation of inappropriate touching. It was claimed that on the day of the incident, both Mr Scudds and Sutherlan Scudds, a part-owner of the firm, met with the clerk to address her quality of work and attitude at work
The defence team claimed that this discussion caused the law clerk to become upset. In addition to this, Mr Scudd’s legal team claimed that he had refused to provide the clerk with a job reference. This allegedly took place around a fortnight before she filed a complaint with the police.
The defence team noted that this complaint did not lead to any charges being laid by the police. The case is currently scheduled for mediation, meaning a definitive legal outcome is yet to be determined.
In July 2025, it was reported that a former Northern Territory Supreme Court judge was placed under investigation by the Northern Territory Anti-Discrimination Commission. This came after a former female associate of the judge filed a complaint with the Comission containing “very serious” allegations of sexual harassment.
The judge and the associate have not been identified for legal reasons. The associate told the Commission that the harassment devastated her, leading to her quitting her legal career. Her complaint was also directed against two other senior officers, the Northern Territory government and the Commissioner for Public Employment. She’s seeking an apology and damages for injury and distress.
Initial sexual harassment complaint brushed off
The associate, who was employed by the judge, claimed that he had asked her if she “liked having massages” and suggested they “share a bed to save money” while on a trip. She also alleged that the judge took photos of her without permission and pressured her to attend social events outside of work hours.
In her complaint to the Northern Territory Anti-Discrimination Commission, the associate claimed that when she complained about the judge’s behaviour to a judicial officer, she was told to air her concerns with the judge himself.
The officer allegedly said that she should get in touch again if the judge’s behaviour “gets worse.” The associate also claimed that the officer told her that one solution to the issue was to “swap” her with a male associate.
Sexual harassment the result of ‘immense’ workplace power imbalance
An independent investigation into the claims found that the former judge had indeed sexually harassed the associate. However, the Northern Territory government argued that the complaint should be dismissed as it was lodged outside the 12-month statutory time limit.
The Northern Territory Anti-Discrimination Commission, in a move that highlights the seriousness of the case, accepted the complaint as a matter of “public interest.” It said the allegations involved the “abuse of an immense workplace power imbalance” and that judges should be held to the highest standards of integrity. It further stated that the power imbalance between the judge and the associate could “not be more pronounced.”
Victim only made complaint after seeing others complain
Often, victims of sexual harassment are unsure if they are able to make a complaint against their perpetrator. And worse, they often think that if they do complain, it won’t result in any action. In a statement made via her legal team, the associate said she only started considering lodging a complaint in 2020. This was when she saw news about sexual harassment complaints made against High Court of Australia judge Dyson Heydon.
She said that the “unprecedented” apology the High Court made to six former associates of Justice Heydon was a “turning point in my life.” The associate said that up until that legal victory, she “did not believe” there were any avenues she could pursue to hold her perpetrator accountable. She said that she hoped her complaint would set an example for other victims in the Northern Territory.
Melbourne lawyer posts female employees’ number on sex work site
In August 2025, Melbourne lawyer Nickita Knight copped severe punishment for the sexual harassment he inflicted on his junior female employees. Finding him guilty on 13 counts of professional misconduct, the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal recommended that Mr Knight be removed from the Supreme Court of Victoria’s roll of legal practitioners.
This would effectively end his career as a solicitor. The Tribunal also recommended limitations on his ability to practice law and to also pay $40,000 in legal costs incurred by the Victorian Legal Services Board, which lodged the case with the Tribunal.
Drugs, alcohol and sex workers
Mr Knight was the founder of law firm Knight Family Lawyers. In a Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal case heard in 2022, his employees alleged that he had sexually harassed junior female employees and failed to pay them superannuation. They also claimed that in September 2019 Mr Knight went on a “drug and alcohol fuelled spree” while staying in a hotel room with two sex workers.
One of the more shocking allegations against Mr Knight was what he did after a junior solicitor had resigned from his firm. The solicitor had gone on WorkCover for a psychological injury she sustained after making a bullying and sexual harassment complaint against Mr Knight.
It was claimed that Mr Knight had posted an ad on a sex work website that included the personal phone number of the junior solicitor. This led to her receiving texts from those interested in sex.
Lies uncovered by Tribunal
Mr Knight argued to the Tribunal that it was not him but an associate who posted the ad. But he later backtracked on that story, claiming that he had posted the ad, but had accidentally included the solicitor’s phone number.
The Tribunal was not convinced by these stories, saying that they weren’t “particularly plausible.” Mr Knight was also alleged to have discussed his sex life with junior female employees. He had also allegedly used drugs, failed to pay superannuation to his employees and had provided inadequate supervision.
The Tribunal specifically highlighted the need to protect those who might be employed by Mr Knight “from the harm of serious sexual harassment.”
The punishment for sexual harassment
A few years after that hearing, in August 2025 the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal recommended that Mr Knight be taken off the roll of legal practitioners. It said that he “lacks the fundamental quality of honesty.” The Tribunal said that Mr Knight had subjected his staff to a “long period” of repetitive sexual harassment and bullying.
Despite Mr Knight having undergone “significant” rehabilitation, the Tribunal found he had a genuine lack of remorse for his actions. It said that he had never “come clean” and had said “very little” about the harm he caused to his victims.
In addition to being removed from the roll of practitioners and paying $40,000 in costs, the Tribunal placed a further condition on Mr Knight. It said that if he ever obtains another practising certificate, he can only engage in legal practice as an employee for a period of five years.
Mr Knight now promotes himself online as a “marketing strategist and coach” who offers digital marketing strategies and coaching on personal branding and career development.
Have you been sexually harassed at work?
If you’ve been subjected to sexual harassment at work, you deserve support, protection and justice. For over 20 years, A Whole New Approach has been standing with victims of workplace harassment, helping them secure compensation and hold perpetrators accountable.
We’ve represented more than 10,000 Australians, providing confidential, compassionate advice and dedicated representation every step of the way. Our team takes on the stress of your case so you can focus on rebuilding your life.
Call 1800 333 666 for a free, confidential consultation and take the first step toward reclaiming your workplace safety and dignity.
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