Orana Law Society (OLS) president Andrew Boog has never seen or heard of lawyers being sexually harassed in the region but he is "almost certain" it has occurred.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
"It beggars the imagination to think that with this many lawyers and this many staff in the region that nothing has ever happened," he said.
The long-time president is offering to help any victims "go through some options that are available" to them.
"Caring for the complainant is a good start and not automatically engaging in sue-the-bastards mentality," he said.
READ ALSO:
Sexual harassment in the legal profession has come to the nation's attention after an internal investigation by the High Court of Australia.
It concluded former High Court judge Dyson Heydon had sexually harassed six female associates.
Current High Court Chief Justice Susan Kiefel said its justices and staff were "ashamed that this could have happened at the High Court of Australia".
"We have made a sincere apology to the six women whose complaints were borne out," she said.
Through his lawyers, Mr Heydon,77, has "emphatically" denied the allegations.
Less than three years ago the former judge came to Dubbo to speak at the 2017 annual dinner of the OLS.
Its president then and now, Mr Boog is telling victims "there are numerous paths one can take".
"I'm happy for them to call me," he said. "I would ask them what are your needs right now and how can I assist."
Mr Boog said the "options" available to victims included seeking medical support and counselling, lodging a complaint with the Legal Services Commissioner of NSW John McKenzie, and contacting police.
The Office of the Legal Services Commissioner has the statutory responsibility for all complaints made against lawyers.
"The fact that John McKenzie has a couple of staffers just doing sexual harassment stuff tells me that the profession has a problem," Mr Boog said.
But the OLS president is also adamant the "bad apples" in the legal profession do not make everyone else "rotten".
He is hopeful that an increasing number of women in the profession and their rise to senior positions may help stamp out sexual harassment.
"There are more female solicitors in NSW than there are male," Mr Boog said. "I think think that is typical across Australia too."
The OLS president, who is also a councillor of the Law Society of NSW, reports of more women taking up leadership roles.
"There are two blokes and three women on the OLS executive," he said. "One of the males is finishing up this year and is likely to be replaced by a woman."