Partner Issues

Law Partner's Bad Prank Costs Him His Job. Though He Avoids Jail, So, There's That.

The firm did not think it was funny.

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airplaneChris Allen, a now former partner at Australian firm Corrs, decided to play a prank on a colleague while on a Virgin flight from Sydney to Tasmania. He reportedly wrote a note while in the bathroom and tried to call attention to his colleague. But the note was intercepted by an attendant on the flight.

Whatever was on the note alarmed the flight attendant. And the authorities met the plane. As reported by RollOnFriday:

At the end of the two hour flight the plane was greeted at Hobart airport by fire engines and police.

“Drama at hobart airport with police and firies on tarmac to meet virgin plane,” a person at the scene tweeted while she was waiting for a delayed flight. “A passenger was taken into custody but no idea beyond that”.

The police have indicated they take the matter very seriously:

“A 42 year old Sydney man will be proceeded against for offences relating to an incident onboard a flight last Thursday”, a spokesperson for Tasmanian Police told ROF.

“Police initially responded to a concern for welfare report regarding a person on board a flight from Sydney to Hobart. Subsequent investigations determined the matter to be a hoax”, they said.

“Members of the public are reminded that any incident, including those on board aircraft, is taken extremely seriously by Tasmania Police.”

Allen was let off by the authorities without any fine or charge, just a minor infringement notice.

However, it looks like the powers that be at Corrs were less forgiving — Allen tendered his resignation, which the firm promptly accepted:

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“We can confirm that there was an incident involving a Corrs partner on a flight to Hobart on Thursday,” a Corrs spokesperson said.

“The individual concerned is co-operating with authorities, has taken full responsibility and has tendered his resignation, which has been accepted.”

Law firms aren’t known for the senses of humor, particularly when it embarrasses the firm.

Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, host of The Jabot podcast, and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter @Kathryn1 or Mastodon @Kathryn1@mastodon.social.

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