Lawyer suspended for Craigslist sexy secretary advert
02 December 2011
A Chicago-based immigration lawyer has been barred for a year after telling an applicant for a secretarial job that the role would include "sexual interaction". There's a lesson there, dodgy City partners.

Samir Zia Chowhan decided to forgo usual recruitment avenues when a vacancy arose for a new secretary at his firm. Heading straight to Craigslist and the now defunct "Adult gigs" section, he posted an ad for an "energetic woman" to undertake "general secretarial duties" and some "additional duties" for two lawyers. Interested candidates were asked to send a CV, a description of their physical features and their measurements.

One woman responded, sending all the required information. In return she received in an email from Chohan with a detailed job spec, according to an ABA report. In addition to legal work, the applicant would be "required to have sexual interaction with me and my partner". Further duties included "sexy dressing" and "flirtatious interaction".

Some additional secretarial duties yesterday

Chowhan also told informed the applicant that: "as part of the interview process you’ll be required to perform for us sexually".

Unfortunately for Chowhan, the Illinois Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission didn't think much of any of this. In July it suspended him for a year for conduct reflecting poorly on the profession, a decision which was upheld by the Illinois Supreme Court this week.