A former Freshfields partner has been suspended for two years and ordered to pay costs of £66,000 by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) in relation to allegations of “inappropriate” behaviour. 

Nicholas Williams left the Magic Circle firm in December 2019 following an internal investigation into his behaviour, having been made a partner in its disputes and investigations practice in London in 2017. 

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) referred the matter to the SDT earlier this year, according to a notice on its website, saying the tribunal had certified that Williams had a “case to answer in respect of allegations that ... between 20 and 21 December 2017, [he] engaged in conduct towards Person A, which was inappropriate and unwanted”.

The SDT held a case management hearing for Williams on 8 November, with a spokesperson confirming the outcome was a 24-month suspension alongside the costs order. 

A Freshfields spokesperson commented: “We were not the subject of the SRA investigation or involved in the related SDT proceedings. The individual left the firm several years ago. At the time, we looked into the concerns raised and took appropriate action.”

Williams’ departure from Freshfields came in the same week the firm’s partnership voted in new enforcement protocols intended to curb harassment of staff, Legal Business reported in December 2019. 

The conduct rules, which could see partners face a fine of 20% of their profit shares for 12 months, came in the wake of the SDT fining former Freshfields partner Ryan Beckwith £35,000 and ordering him to pay £200,000 in legal costs following a high-profile hearing concerning sexual misconduct.