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Unless there is some justified suspicion that a solicitor was directly involved in the groping (or whatever) I'd much rather the SRA did NOT investigate: for reasons others have given, it is difficult to see why mere attendance at this event, in particular as a guest, can of itself show lack of integrity etc. The event has been running for some years without, so far as I am aware, any suggestions of impropriety (its website has been shut down, as have several other pages which may have said something about it in the past). It certainly looks odd that the hostesses/catering staff were required to dress skimpily, and to be young and female, but would any guest know that in advance? Would any ordinary member? I have been to events (albeit none were men only) where all the catering staff have been female, and thought nothing of it. The fact of their being female wasn't relevant. Here, though it seems it was relevant, and for possibly unsavoury reasons, unless an attendee knew in advance that this was the case, what blame can fall on him?

It seems unlikely that guests were told in advance, or even at the event, and if a guest saw nothing himself, what was his failure? Even if he did see something untoward, if it was just one incident (say) should he be vilified for not having left immediately, as he should have assumed untoward behaviour was endemic?

Without clear evidence to answer these points, an SRA investigation will be unable to show fault on the part of any solicitor attendee, spend a lot of our money in the process, and make the profession as a whole look fools in the eyes of the oh-so-sanctimonious press.

Leave it be I say.

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