Law firm refers ‘malicious’ email, purportedly from chief people officer, to Victoria Police

A “thorough forensic investigation” is underway at national law firm Slater & Gordon following an extraordinary email (purportedly from its interim chief people officer) to all staff containing supposed salary and performance information and allegations of apparent dysfunction at the firm. The matter has also been referred to police, via the Australian Cyber Security Centre.

On the morning of Friday, 21 February, an email which BCC’d all staff at Slater & Gordon – purportedly sent by outgoing acting chief people officer Mari Ruiz-Matthyssen – contained, among other things, a spreadsheet revealing the supposed salaries and performance ratings of more than 900 staff, as well as allegations about supposed dysfunction at one of Australia’s biggest plaintiff law firms.

HR Leader is not suggesting that the allegations and opinions expressed in the email, and which have been widely reported, are true.

HR Leader has sought comment from Ruiz-Matthyssen, as well as from Allegro Funds, which acquired the majority of shares in Slater & Gordon in 2023, resulting in the firm’s delisting from the ASX.

The news was originally reported by The Australian Financial Review on Friday.

In a statement issued over the weekend, Slater & Gordon chief executive Dina Tutungi said: “The malicious email that was sent to our employees on Friday by someone impersonating a staff member was an invasion of privacy, and I apologise to everyone affected by it.”

The firm understands, she said, “the upset and distress this has caused, and we are conducting a forensic investigation to find out how this occurred. I want to assure all of our employees that they will be provided every support possible.”

“The email was not sent by the interim chief people officer Mari Ruiz-Matthyssen,” Tutungi said.

“It contains many disparaging, false, and deliberately misleading claims. The information attached to the email, while unreliable, should never have been shared.”

The matter has been referred by the national plaintiff firm to Victoria Police, she continued, through the Australian Cyber Security Centre.

Ruiz-Matthyssen has also referred it to Victoria Police, Tutungi added.

The firm remains, she went on, “fully committed to supporting our staff through this time, and meeting all our legal and regulatory obligations, including the reporting of privacy breaches and any necessary compliance steps”.

“Our cyber incident response team has been stood up and a thorough forensic investigation is being conducted, supported by external specialists.

“We will have more to say when we know more,” Tutungi said.

“We are committed to upholding the strong culture and values of this firm, and we will not allow this act to distract from the important work we do for our clients.”

In December, the firm overwhelmingly voted in favour of an enterprise agreement with the Australian Services Union, through which more than 600 Slater & Gordon staff will be able to access significantly increased employee benefits.

A few months earlier, in July, it identified a payroll error in leave accrual, which it believes has resulted in a collective underpayment of at least $300,000 for around 100 of its current and former employees. As a result, the firm self-reported to the Fair Work Ombudsman.

Earlier that month, the firm promoted 42 lawyers to more senior roles, including three to senior practice leader and six to practice leader.