Chris Allen, an erstwhile partner at an Australian firm Corrs, played a prank on a colleague while on a Virgin flight from Sydney to Tasmania. His operations, however, went awry as the note he penned in the aircraft’s bathroom was intercepted by a flight attendant. The content of the note not only alarmed the attendant but caused the authorities to be involved upon the plane’s arrival in Tasmania.
As reported by RollOnFriday, upon landing at Hobart airport, the flight was met by fire engines and police. Tasmanian Police stated that they treated the matter with utmost seriousness and will proceed against the 42 year old Sydney man for his misconduct.
Alarmingly, a passenger was taken into custody, however the authorities bypassed charging Allen with any major crime, merely handing him a minor infringement notice.
Unlike the authorities, Allen’s firm, Corrs, demonstrated a rigid attitude towards their partner’s imprudence. Despite cooperating with the authorities and accepting full responsibility, Allen was asked to submit his resignation, which the firm readily accepted. A spokesperson for Corrs confirmed the incident, stating “The individual concerned… has taken full responsibility and has tendered his resignation, which has been accepted.”
Overall, this incident is a stark reminder for legal professionals to maintain a conduct that adheres to the serious nature of their role, especially when representing a legal corporation at large. Law firms, it has been noted, are not generally known for their humor, particularly when such instances bring public embarrassment onto the firm.