(Image via Getty)
Buckle up folks, this one’s a doozy.
As reported by RollOnFriday, the conduct U.K. attorney Rob Kearney is accused of is more than eyebrow raising. Kearney was suspended for six month by the Bar Tribunals and Adjudication Service (BTAS) and banned from taking on students that need work experience over sexual harassment. As per the BTAS, Kearney told a woman on a mini-pupillage in 2015 that “eating pineapple makes semen taste better” and he kept his nails short “because you can’t finger women with long nails.”
Wowser. But it didn’t end there.
According to the BTAS, Kearney also:
- asked her if she had ever had sex in her parents’ house, and for the details;
- told her about sex with his wife;
- said she should wear skirts and heels instead of trousers and asked her bra size; and
- when the two were alone in a lift, leaned in to smell her neck and asked what perfume she was wearing.
But it isn’t the first sexual harassment incident involving Kearney.
At a networking event in 2017 he boasted to a male pupil that he had “buttfucked another chambers dry”.
In an unsuccessful attempt to cover his arse, Kearney checked the pupil’s age before asking him whether he had “ever taken a woman from behind”. Describing Kearney’s line of questioning as “uncomfortable”, the tribunal reprimanded the barrister and fined him £1,000.
So, folks are mighty miffed that Kearney has received such a small suspension for his shocking conduct. And they’ve even responded to that criticism:
Reacting to the criticism of its perceived leniency, the Bar Standards Bar said in a statement, “we are aware of current concern from the public and the profession about the level of sanctions imposed in cases of sexual misconduct”. It said its Sanctions Guidance “is currently under review” and that it was planning to consult with the public in April on proposals to “amend the recommended ranges of sanctions for specific types of breaches”.
Kearney is also out at his chambers — Lincoln House Chambers said Kearney resigned in March of 2020:
“We consider any allegation of sexual harassment to be very serious”, said Director of Clerking David Wright. “Everyone is entitled to be treated with dignity and respect in their work or training”.
Hopefully the outrange translates into some more consequences for Kearney.
Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, and host of The Jabot podcast. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1).