An observation that will be unpalatable for law firm managers – there is a significant number of City assistants who wanted Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer to be found ‘to blame’ for the death earlier this year of its young assistant Matthew Courtney.
The inquest last week into the death of Courtney did not provide any ammunition for such claims, despite earlier suggestions that work-related stress had been a factor. I would also add that, having followed the case, I have seen no evidence that the firm was slapdash or negligent in its handling of a vulnerable member of staff.
