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second try: >To: [log in to unmask] >From: janet paterson <[log in to unmask]> >Date: Fri, 07 Sep 2001 12:29:18 -0400 >Subject: NEWS: BBC: Offensive e-mail lands law firm in trouble Offensive e-mail lands law firm in trouble Friday, 7 September, 2001, 13:07 GMT 14:07 UK - One message is leading a firm of lawyers to a tribunal An offensive e-mail message could land a city law firm with unlimited damages for racial and sexual discrimination. Two lawyers at London law firm Charles Russell are being taken to an industrial tribunal over an e-mail message in which they asked for a "busty blonde" to replace their black secretary. The secretary saw the message, and has now decided to take the firm to a tribunal because it left her too distraught to continue working. The law firm said it will "vigorously defend" itself against the action. Charles Russell is facing the tribunal after a 32-year-old secretary accidentally read an e-mail message written by lawyer Adam Dowdney soon after the woman announced her intention to resign. The mail message said: "Can we go for a real fit busty blonde this time? She can't be any more trouble and at least it would provide some entertainment!". After seeing the message the woman complained to the head of personnel at the firm, and received letters of apology from Mr Dowdney and his colleague Charles Hopewell who she also worked for. Both Mr Dowdney and Mr Hopewell have since dismissed the e-mail as a "thoughtless joke". But the woman was rendered so distraught by the message that her doctor declared her too ill to work. She is now taking the case to an industrial tribunal that will hear the case next year. If the tribunal finds for the woman it has the power to reward her with unlimited damages. The law firm said it would mount a vigorous defence against the charges. Related to this story: Muslims sue AOL over chat rooms (31 Aug 01 | Sci/Tech) French anti-racists sue Yahoo (11 Apr 00 | Europe) When sending is spying (06 Feb 01 | Sci/Tech) That joke isn't funny anymore (10 Nov 98 | Office Life) Racism rife 25 years on (24 Sep 99 | UK) Internet links: Charles Russell By BBC News Online technology correspondent Mark Ward BBC News Online: Sci/Tech http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/sci/tech/newsid_1530000/1530458.stm janet paterson: an akinetic rigid subtype, albeit perky, parky . pd: 54/41/37 cd: 54/44/43 tel: 613 256 8340 email: [log in to unmask] . smail: 375 Country Street, Apt 301, Almonte, Ontario, Canada, K0A 1A0 . a new voice: the nnnewsletter: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/janet313/ . a new voice: the wwweb site: http://www.geocities.com/janet313/ . __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email alerts & NEW webcam video instant messaging with Yahoo! Messenger http://im.yahoo.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn