A Scandal Unfolds As Slater & Gordon Grapples with Anonymous Email Leak
Slater and Gordon, one of Australia’s largest plaintiff law firms, is at the center of a storm after an anonymous email—allegedly sent by the outgoing acting chief people officer, Mari Ruiz-Matthyssen (pictured)—landed in the inboxes of its entire staff.
The email, which included sensitive salary data for over 900 employees and scathing allegations about internal dysfunction, has ignited a crisis within the firm.
The email contained criticisms of key executives, complaints about private equity firm Allegro’s plans to “gut the place.”
The Australian Financial Review broke the story on Friday, February 21, revealing that the email initially appeared to be a routine handover document for the incoming chief people officer. However, its contents quickly made waves due to their inflammatory nature.
In response, Slater and Gordon issued a statement categorically denying Ruiz-Matthyssen’s involvement.
A spokesperson for the firm stated that Ruiz-Matthyssen neither authored nor sent the email and that the email address used does not belong to her. The firm confirmed that she intends to report the incident to law enforcement.
“The email contains numerous disparaging remarks about individuals and presents what appears to be internal information. However, much of it is inaccurate and, in many ways, entirely fabricated,” the spokesperson said.
The firm emphasized its commitment to investigating the matter thoroughly and pledged full cooperation with any police inquiries.
The fallout has reportedly caused significant distress among staff members. Slater and Gordon has vowed to address these concerns as part of its internal investigation.
This incident comes on the heels of a tumultuous period for the firm.
In December 2024, Slater and Gordon employees overwhelmingly approved an enterprise agreement negotiated with the Australian Services Union, granting over 600 staff members enhanced benefits.
However, just months earlier, in July 2024, the firm self-reported a payroll error involving leave accruals that resulted in at least $300,000 in underpayments affecting approximately 100 current and former employees.
The firm has also undergone significant structural changes in recent years. Following its acquisition by private equity firm Allegro Funds in 2023, Slater and Gordon de-listed from the ASX. Despite these challenges, it promoted 42 lawyers to more senior roles last year—a move aimed at bolstering its leadership ranks.
Questions remain about who orchestrated the email leak and what their motivations might have been. For now, all eyes are on how one of Australia’s legal giants will manage this unprecedented breach of trust.
how did this email get leaked in the first place? wasn’t there any cybersecurity measure at slater & gordon? 🤔
Most firms have security protocols, but internal leaks can sometimes bypass these measures, especially if it’s an inside job.
wow, sounds like a movie plot!
I wonder about the implications this will have on client trust. It’s paramount for law firms to maintain confidentiality.
emails flying around like they’re homing pigeons, guess no secrets at slater and gordon huh
Another day, another breach of trust. In what universe does privacy still exist? Clearly not in corporate Australia.
Let’s not lose hope. It’s challenges like these that push companies to improve their cybersecurity.
interesting read, didn’t know much about the legal world before this. props to the lawfuel editors for keeping it engaging.