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Long-time BC lawyer resigns after admitting to decades to sexual harassment

A lawyer well known around the Lower Mainland for his cheeky commercials and appearances in the media has resigned from the Law Society of British Columbia (LSBC).

Stuart J. Zukerman of the Zukerman Law Group admitted to touching female employees without their consent and making unwanted comments or advances of sexual nature dating back to 2000.

More recently, however, Zukerman admitted through a consent agreement that he took, or tried to take, secretive photos and videos of female employees' cleavage and underneath their dresses.

The consent agreement published by the LSBC said Zukerman “created, promoted or encouraged a highly sexualized, intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment at the firm.”

“Staff described that comments of a sexual nature were common and included jokes, sexual innuendo, bragging or detailing of sexual encounters and commenting on staff or potential staff’s appearances,” the consent agreement explained.

“Staff also described their view that employees who went along with the sexual banter were better liked by (Zukerman) and therefore more likely to receive promotions or higher bonuses.”

<who>Photo Credit: Zukerman Law Group</who>Stuart Zukerman

In one particular case, Zukerman admitted to touching a female employee’s butt without consent while she stood on a ladder while painting the office.

According to the consent agreement, he wrote the same woman a letter “detailing his sexual and romantic feelings towards her and queried whether she would consider leaving her family to engage in a formal relationship with him.”

When she rejected his advances and asked him to stop pursuing her, he sent her one more letter describing his feelings for her.

Years of misconduct seemed to culminate on May 10, 2023, which is when Zukerman attempted to take a “surreptitious video” underneath a female employee’s dress.

The woman caught him in the act and “became distraught,” the consent agreement noted, then left the office and never returned.

That incident resulted in the resignation of three female employees from the firm.

Zukerman, who has practised law in BC since 1989, will resign from the LSBC effective at the end of November.

He’ll be banned from practising law in BC for five years and is forbidden from applying for reinstatement with any Canadian law society during that time.



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