B.C. lawyer resigns after decades of sexual harassment, regulator says

Surrey lawyer Stuart J. Zukerman admitted to the misconduct in a consent agreement reached with the Law Society of B.C. (zukermanlaw.ca)

A British Columbia lawyer has resigned from the provincial law society after he sexually harassed staff at his law firm, including attempts to surreptitiously photograph one employee without her knowledge, according to the regulator.

Surrey lawyer Stuart J. Zukerman admitted to the misconduct in a consent agreement reached with the Law Society of B.C. in August. A summary of the agreement published Tuesday details decades of sexual harassment perpetrated by the lawyer at his Zukerman Law Group.

"Zukerman created, promoted or encouraged a highly sexualized, intimidating, hostile and/or offensive work environment at his firm," the law society said in a statement.

"His misconduct included touching without consent, making comments of a sexual nature, engaging in unwelcomed romantic and/or sexual advances and taking or attempting to take a surreptitious photograph and video without the person's consent."

'Numerous incidents of harassment'

The investigation into Zukerman's conduct arose after a lawyer who previously worked at his firm filed a complaint with the society, leading investigators to uncover "numerous incidents of sexual harassment" according to the agreement summary.

The harassment of one employee spanned from October 2000 until May 2023, during which Zukerman touched her, made sexual comments about her and made unwelcome romantic and sexual advances towards her, the summary says.

Zukerman admitted he touched the employee's buttocks while she stood on a ladder to paint the office, according to the summary.

He later wrote her a letter detailing his romantic feelings for her and asking whether she would "consider leaving her family to engage in a formal relationship with him," according to the agreement.

Zukerman "knew or ought to have known" his conduct was unwelcome and "likely to create an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment that would adversely affect individuals employed by his firm," the summary states.

Women quit law firm

The lawyer admitted to sexually harassing another employee over the course of five years, from January 2018 to May 2023, according to the summary.

During that time, Zukerman "took a surreptitious photograph of her cleavage without her knowledge," made comments and unwelcome sexual advances, and "attempted to take a surreptitious video recording underneath her dress in the office without her knowledge," the summary says.

When the woman caught Zukerman trying to record the video, she "became distraught," the summary says, adding she left the office that afternoon and never returned.

Three women ultimately left their jobs at the law firm in response to the incident, the summary states.

Zukerman, who has practised law in B.C. since 1989, will resign from the law society effective at the end of November.

Under the terms of his resignation, Zukerman is banned from practising law in B.C. for five years and must not apply for reinstatement with any Canadian law society during that time.

According to the regulator, Zukerman has primarily practised family law and also provides services as a mediator. He established the Zukerman Law Group in 2011.