Building on from the five posts below, we’ve decided to publish a post updating you all on Clayton Utz’s two other legal proceedings in 2010. Three legal proceedings, 14 partner defections, embroilment in reality TV show homewrecking, stolen fruit; it hasn’t been a good year for Clayton Utz at all.
But can it end on a brighter note?
Pleasingly, for those of you who missed it, the AFR reported a few weeks ago (5/11) that Clayton Utz had settled its dispute with Allen & Overy defector Grant Fuzi. Clayton Utz alleged that Fuzi breached his fiduciary duty to Clayton Utz about his intentions before resigning from the partnership. The AFR reported:
The AFR understands that the dispute was settled after Mr Fuzi, who led the exodus of 14 Clayton Utz partners to A&O in February, agreed to pay back to his former employer a $700,000 payout. This amount had been paid to Mr Fuzi after Clayton Utz waived the notice period under the partnership agreement when Mr Fuzi indicated he would not join a competitor.
The AFR went onto report the allegation the Fuzi had informed the Clutz partnership that he would be relocating to Byron Bay, presumably to retire, when in truth he had pre-booked flights and had departed for London within a few days.
But just as the dust begins to settle on the Fuzi v Clutz fiduciary dispute comes the news that its sexual harassment proceeding with ex-lawyer Bridgette Styles is gathering momentum.
Ms Styles filed a claim earlier this year in which she alleges she lost her job after making complaints to Clayton Utz superiors about another Clutz lawyer, Luis Izzo, whom she was said to be “romantically involved” with. Izzo had apparently mentioned to other Clutz lawyers that he had engaged in a “one night stand” with Styles. The Clayton Utz dedence alleges that Ms Styles acted in a “belligerent” fashio toward Mr Izzo, variously bellowing that Mr Izzo:
- was a “s;lut”
- was a “man-whore”; and
- had “slept with every girl in the firm”.
Or so claims the AFR (10/12).
Interestingly, the AFR also reported claims filed by Styles in her reply to the Clayton Utz defence:
Clayton Utz us a hostile place for women to work. She flags the firm’s failure to ban a facebook group called “Clayton Utz Workplace Relations (Sydney) Whorebags.
Clutz alleges Styles’ dismissal was related to “offensive remarks” allegedly made to another lawyer at the Lawyers Ski Race weekend in 2008 and subsequently at a Sydney bar.
Ms Styles is pursuing Mr Izzo personally in a separate proceeding issued by writ in the Supreme Court of NSW. She alleges Mr Izzo defamed her in an oral communication to our favourite Clayton Utz partner, Mr Joe Catanzariti. Quite extraordinarily, this proceeding has resulted in Mallesons Stephen Jaques being involved in the dispute with several emails sent by Mr Izzo to Mallies friends being the subject of a successful subpoeana application by Ms Styles.
According to the AFR:
Styles alleges Mr Izzo called her a “bitch” at the ski weekend and made her cry after commenting about their relationship.
Has your office seen any hook-ups gone-wrong?
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