LAWYER IN THE NEWS

Who? Richard Leong, 43-year-old solicitor at the London Race Discrimination Unit.Why is he in the news? Represents a former secretary at City law firm Charles Russell who hit the headlines last week for suing her ex-employers for sex and race discrimination after two assistant solicitors conducted an e-mail exchange in which one requested a 'busty blonde' to replace her after she handed in her notice.

The secretary, who is black, inadvertently saw the e-mail and complained to the head of personnel at Charles Russell, claiming that she 'should not have to look like a Page 3 model to secure employment at a solicitors' firm'.

She is taking the two lawyers - Adam Dowdney and Clive Hopewell - and the firm to an employment tribunal.

The firm is fighting the claim, with the lawyers telling the press that it was a senseless and thoughtless joke.Background: BA (Hons) in Arts from Middlesex Polytechnic (now Middlesex University) 1991-93.

He completed the CPE at North London University in 1994 and the LPC at Birmingham University in 1995, qualifying with Bindman & Partners in 1997.

After qualification, he joined London firm Prestons & Kerlys in 1998 where he stayed for two years, joining the Race Discrimination Unit, at Lambeth Law Centre, in 2000.Route to the case: 'The secretary originally contacted Peckham Citizens Advice Bureau, and they referred the case to us.'Thoughts on the case: 'The case revolves around a very interesting legal point, namely whether an e-mail can form the basis for discrimination.

Normally harassment cases concern verbal harassment, or a letter or memo - I have never come across one concerning an e-mail, and as a result it's a very topical case.

It also raises the question as to whether it was reasonably foreseeable that the secretary, or indeed any third party, would get to read the e-mail.'Thoughts on the media: 'I've had very little dealings with the media and I'm quite wary of them as I'm very aware that their job is to sell papers, compared to mine which is to serve my client and see justice done.

Whereas I'm very happy to talk about the legal aspects of the case all day, journalists seem to be only interested in the human angle of the story, which I'm not as happy to discuss.'Victoria MacCallum