The name of a lawyer who repeatedly sexually harassed employees and posted one’s personal number on an advertisement for sexual services has been recommended for strike-off.
Less than a month after an employee handed in a resignation letter that took aim at Nickita Evgenevich Knight’s conduct, an advertisement for sex work was posted with her personal number.
It was just the tip of the iceberg in terms of Knight’s sexual misconduct, with employees reporting they were told or overheard details about his substance abuse, partying, and sex life. The latter included detailed accounts that involved his girlfriend.
Employees were shown photographs of naked women from various websites and in photographs Knight had taken himself, while others were asked to comment on the appearance of other women.
Knight also looked up social media accounts of prospective female employees, commented on their appearance in front of existing employees, and asked them to comment on their appearance.
In a decision handed down on 13 August, the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal ordered that Knight’s name be recommended for removal, in addition to a reprimand and costs of $40,000.
The tribunal also ordered that Knight not be granted a practising certificate and be subjected to a condition that he engage in legal practice only as an employee for a period of five years.
“The proven conduct amounted to a long period of sexual harassment and workplace bullying of Knight’s employees.
“Knight had obligations as an employer to provide a safe workplace. Instead, apparently for his own enjoyment, he engaged in this ongoing serious conduct,” member Neill Campbell said.
Fiona McLeay, Victorian Legal Services Commissioner, welcomed the decision.
“Have no doubt, we do not tolerate bullying and sexual harassment of any kind in the legal profession, and we will take action against perpetrators.
“The Knight case sets a very significant precedent, and should serve as a warning for those who hold onto antiquated behaviours in the law,” McLeay said.
The Commissioner has put in place a number of steps to tackle sexual harassment in the profession, including a nation-first anonymous reporting tool and a sexual harassment regulatory strategy.
While any one event of the proven conduct may not have been considered “the most serious” type of sexual harassment, Campbell considered the long period of the conduct, the repetitive nature of it, and the breach of Knight’s duties as an employer.
The advertisement conduct was found to be an intentional attempt to “upset, cause distress and humiliate the former employee by having her receive text messages from people seeking sexual services”.
“Knight was motivated by dissatisfaction with the former employee having resigned her employment and setting out a number of Knight’s deficiencies in her resignation letter, including his drug use.
“The proven conduct had very significant adverse impacts on the former employee,” Campbell said in his written reasons.
The tribunal decision addressed Knight's substance abuse of alcohol, cocaine and MDMA, which caused him to be frequently late to work, unprepared for court appearances, dishevelled, and to be observed sleeping either at or under his desk during work hours.
His misconduct also included a failure to appear at court, knowingly making false statements to a court, failure to comply with trust account rules, and failure to supervise the work of employees.
Campbell considered that Knight showed a lack of genuine remorse and insight into his conduct, particularly because he had failed to “ever come clean” regarding the conduct. While he may have made admissions, he also tried to “paint himself in the best possible light”.
Knight said “very little” about the harm he caused to others, including the damage to their personal and professional lives. Similarly, he did not address the way his conduct impacted clients.
“This contributes to my view as to the lack of insight exhibited by Knight,” Campbell said.
The case: Victorian Legal Services Commissioner v Knight (Legal Practice) [2025] VCAT 717
Naomi Neilson is a senior journalist with a focus on court reporting for Lawyers Weekly.
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