Lawrence West QC does an Alexander Carter-Silk
If there was any moment in the history of the world to avoid publicly labelling a female lawyer as “stunning”, this may well be it.
But seemingly unaware of the LinkedIn lawyer “sexist” message scandal, Lawrence West QC has written into The Times in a bid to get the attention of “an absolutely stunning blonde lady prosecutor”.
It was this adjective which of course got Brown Rudnick head of European IP Alexander Carter-Silk in rather a spot of bother last week when he complimented Mansfield Chambers junior barrister Charlotte Proudman on her “stunning” online profile photo.
Here is West’s letter — which in fairness to the commercial silk refers to an encounter in 1983 and clearly indicates that the recipient of the compliment was happy to be objectified (as spotted by Times hack David Brown).
“And I hope the lady reads this and grins too.” Be careful what you wish for, as Carter-Silk might say.