A manager at international firm Eversheds Sutherland who grabbed a colleague’s breast on a staff away day has been barred from the profession.
Jake Flint, senior client development manager, had attended the firm’s away day in July 2022 where employees from various offices later socialised and stayed overnight in a hotel.
After the event, when walking to the hotel with a group of colleagues, Flint touched and grabbed the breast of one of his colleagues without her consent. His colleague told him each time she did not want him to do so and asked him to stop.
Once at the hotel, Flint put his arm around his colleague’s waist and touched her bottom: again she told him to stop and this time another colleague intervened and spoke to Flint about his conduct.
Later the same evening, Flint approached his colleague again while she was ordering takeaway food, he put his hand on her upper thigh and asked if they were eating in his room or hers.
Flint, who had joined Eversheds in May 2021, left the firm a month after the away day.
He admitted his misconduct and accepted the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s recommendation for a section 43 order barring him from working at law firms without permission from the regulator.
The SRA said his conduct was serious and involved repeatedly touching his colleague in a sexual way without her consent, as well as making a sexual comment to her.
Flint was also ordered to pay £600 costs.
Eversheds Sutherland has been approached for comment.
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