Allen & Overy solicitor referred to SDT over 'incredibly distressing' Harvey Weinstein NDA

A Partner with Allen & Overy involved in drawing up a gagging order on behalf of Harvey Weinstein has been referred to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT).

Chief Executive of the Solicitors’ Regulation Authority, Paul Philip, confirmed that the SRA had referred an A&O lawyer involved in the Weinstein NDA as he spoke to the Women and Equalities Committee. “The solicitor involved is one of the cases that has been referred to the Solicitor’s Disciplinary Tribunal", he said, without identifying the person.

A Partner at A&O, Mark Mansell, in 1998 drew up the gagging order after Zelda Perkins, one of the personal assistants of the disgraced Hollywood mogul, accused him of sexually harassing her and trying to rape a colleague.

Perkins claimed that Mansell and the A&O team ground her down and that she was "broken" after several "incredibly distressing" and "intense" negotiation sessions at Allen & Overy's London office.

Her grilling culminated in a 12-hour marathon which finished at 5am, said Perkins.

She was 24 years’ old at the time. “I was made to feel ashamed for disclosing his behaviour and assault, and expected to name those I had spoken to, as if they too were guilty of something,” she said.

A former employee of Miramax reportedly suggested that A&O "must have put together a load of NDAs" given the stories that had not emerged about Weinstein's behavior in the UK.

Another former employee of Miramax reportedly said, "I would think that any lawyers involved in the Miramax business, namely Allen & Overy, knew exactly what was going on given that Harvey's 'antics' were an open secret.”