James Gardner-Hopkins finished his three-year suspension for inappropriate conduct this year
Female lawyers have accused former Russell McVeagh senior partner James Gardner-Hopkins of intimidating them via social media platform LinkedIn, reported the NZ Herald.
Gardner-Hopkins had completed his three-year suspension by the Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal earlier this year and applied for his practising certificate in March. He had been found guilty on six charges of misconduct in 2022.
Women’s law associations and their members challenged Gardner-Hopkins’ readmission as a lawyer and made submissions to the New Zealand Law Society. Subsequently, a number of female lawyers reported that he had been publicly viewing their LinkedIn profiles.
In a complaint to the Law Society, the Wellington Women’s Law Association (WWLA) noted that in some cases, the women’s profiles were viewed more than once. The association did not specifically name Gardner-Hopkins in its LinkedIn post about the concern, but indicated that 10 women, including a law student, had complained.
“This is a recognised form of intimidation. By viewing their profiles openly, he is making it clear to these women that he is watching them. This behaviour appears to be designed to intimidate those who have raised legitimate concerns”, the WWLA wrote in a snippet of its complaint published by the Herald. “There is an option to view LinkedIn profiles anonymously, yet he has chosen not to use it. Over the past few days, this behaviour appears to have escalated, with some women reporting it has occurred multiple times. There appears to be no legitimate reason for him to be doing this”.
Gardner-Hopkins’ behaviour was first flagged in 2018; five of the charges against him involved his conduct towards summer clerks at a 2015 Russell McVeagh Christmas party while the sixth involved a company function he hosted at home. According to the Herald, his incidents incited New Zealand’s #MeToo movement.
Barrister Steph Dyhrberg, who acted for three of the victims from Gardner-Hopkins’ Christmas party incident, also filed a complaint to the Law Society in June after her profile was viewed.
“He (Gardner-Hopkins) has for some time (starting around the time opposition to his application started emerging) been repeatedly viewing the LinkedIn profiles of many women who have spoken up about his misconduct and/or opposed his application, including those who made a written submission”, she wrote in a snippet of her complaint published by the Herald.
A Law Society spokesperson responded to Dyhrberg’s complaint with a statement that her concerns would be forwarded to the practising approval committee decision-maker and to Gardner-Hopkins’ lawyer. Per the Herald, a Law Society spokesperson said in a statement to NZME that Gardner-Hopkins’ application was in process and no decision had been made.
A New Zealand Women’s Law Journal spokeswoman said that the organisation had also been alerted to such behaviour.
“We are appalled at Mr Gardner-Hopkins’ behaviour and it only reaffirms the concerns the Journal expressed to the Law Society in March. We call on the Law Society to condemn this behaviour and to take it into account in their decision regarding Mr Gardner-Hopkins’ practising certificate”, the New Zealand Women’s Law Journal said in a statement published by the Herald.
