India-born solicitor held guilty of `bullying’

Summarising its findings at the end of its report, the inquiry team said it had been driven to the conclusion that Bahl "resorted at times to bullying tactics. She treated the staff without due consideration, demanding immediate responses to her own wishes without regard to their other duties".

"Her treatment of staff at times was demeaning, humiliating and offensively aggressive," said the team, adding that in many ways, she had usurped the role of the Law Society’s secretary general, Jane Betts.

Bahl (43), who was hoping to become the first woman and first ethnic-minority president of the solicitors’ profession, this July, was considering her next move.

Legal action against the Society over its handling of the complaints has not been ruled out, her solicitor Jill Andrew said.

Bahl’s solicitor said, "Obviously, she is very shocked. We will now be reading the report and considering the wider implications. In particular, we want to look at the whole process for the handling of these complaints and how that might have influenced the findings."

Peter Skyte of the Manufacturing, Science and Finance Union, which acted for the five staff members, said, "Bullying at work must not be tolerated. We demand that firm action is taken by the law society."

The inquiry report will now go to all the 70 members of the Law Society Council, its governing body, and be considered at their meeting next week.

The law society issued a statement on Friday night, confirming that it had received the report.

"The implications of the Griffiths report will be given the fullest consideration by the council of the society on March 16. Until that has happened, any further comment would be inappropriate," it said.