What This Scandal Can Teach Every Workplace

In 2015, at a law firm Christmas party and later at his home, senior partner James Gardner-Hopkins sexually harassed and assaulted five junior summer interns. They were young and early in their careers; he held power over whether those careers advanced or stalled. That power imbalance frames this case, and why its lessons matter far beyond law.

The interns did not report the incidents immediately. In steep hierarchies, speaking up can feel like career suicide. Months later, in early 2016, they sought legal advice and complained to Russell McVeagh. Gardner-Hopkins resigned before the firm’s process concluded.

For years, the matter remained largely hidden. In 2018, media coverage and survivor accounts pushed it into public view. Russell McVeagh commissioned Dame Margaret Bazley to review its culture. She found a “work hard, play hard” environment that blurred boundaries, exposed juniors to risk, and mishandled complaints. She made 48 recommendations.

In 2021, the Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal found Gardner-Hopkins guilty of six counts of disgraceful conduct. He was suspended for two years. On appeal, the High Court extended it to the maximum of three, noting the seriousness of the harm and the victims’ vulnerability.

This year, as his suspension expired, Gardner-Hopkins applied for a practising certificate. Women who opposed his return reported that he viewed their LinkedIn profiles openly, not anonymously, in what can be categorised as intimidation, i.e., I'm watching you. Such behaviour signals unresolved attitudes and ongoing risk.

Accountability Requires More Than Time Served

Accountability is not just about enduring a penalty. It means acknowledging the harm, accepting responsibility without minimisation or deflection, and actively working to change. It means showing, through consistent behaviour over time, that the patterns which enabled the harm are no longer present.

In this case, there is no clear evidence that such a change process has taken place. Instead, there are indications, such as the alleged intimidation, that point the other way. Without genuine behavioural change, the likelihood of reoffending remains high.

The Structural Lessons

This is not just about one man. Any workplace with steep hierarchies, weak safeguards, and tolerance for blurred boundaries risks similar harm. Three points stand out:

• Unchecked power invites abuse. When senior staff hold sole influence over juniors, they can control careers, silence dissent, and shield misconduct.

• Delays deepen harm. Slow complaint processes prolong distress and erode trust in leadership.

• Decisions speak loudly. Reinstating someone after serious misconduct signals to all staff what leadership is willing to risk and whose safety it values.

Prevention In Practice

Too many organisations treat prevention as a reaction to crisis. Safety must be designed into the structure from the start:

• Increase the number of direct reports for juniors to avoid dependency on one senior figure.

• Avoid alcohol-heavy networking.

• Train staff in bystander intervention with scenarios relevant to the sector.

• Train people leaders on best practice responses to disclosures of harm.

• Provide multiple safe reporting options, including anonymous channels, with strong anti-retaliation guarantees.

• Use external investigators for complaints involving senior staff.

• Take interim measures to protect complainants during investigations.

• Make reinstatement contingent on accredited behaviour-change work and independent risk assessments.

The Cost of Inaction

Failing to protect staff has consequences far beyond the immediate incident. It erodes trust across the organisation. It drives capable people away. It tells those inclined to abuse power that they may do so without consequence, and tells those who have been harmed that their safety is negotiable.

The Gardner-Hopkins case should unsettle any leader who imagines that “it couldn’t happen here.” Without intentional design for safety, the conditions for harm are already present.

For survivors, speaking out takes courage, energy, and no small measure of personal risk. The least any workplace can do is ensure that when harm is reported, the systems respond with urgency, independence, and a genuine commitment to preventing further harm.

Information and support for anyone affected by sexual harm is available through the following services in Aotearoa:

·      Wellington Rape Crisis – Free support for anyone affected by sexual violence. Call 04 801 8973 or visit wellingtonrapecrisis.org.nz

·      WellStop – Crisis support and counselling for people affected by sexual harm. Call 0800 935 5786 or visit wellstop.org.nz

·      HELP Auckland – Crisis support and counselling for survivors of sexual abuse. Call 0800 623 1700 or visit helpauckland.org.nz

·      Safe to Talk / Kōrero Mai Ka Ora – 24/7 national sexual harm helpline. Call 0800 044 334, text 4334, or visit safetotalk.nz

·      RespectEd Aotearoa – Prevention education and advice.