Opinion ID: 1487866
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: Heather Holmes

Text: Heather Holmes is a legal secretary at the Respondent's law firm. She worked for the Respondent from 1990 or 1991 until 1997. Thereafter, Holmes was reassigned within the firm. During the period she worked for the Respondent, he made inappropriate advances toward her including touching her shoulders, hugging her, and kissing her on the cheek. Occasionally, the Respondent made out of line comments about how nice he thought Holmes' legs were and how he noticed she had lost weight. He would push her into positions so that she could not move and would poke and tickle her. One day, when Holmes had just begun working for him, the Respondent brought her into his office and told her, I really like you. You are more than just a secretary to me. As time went on, the Respondent proceeded to make Holmes feel more and more uncomfortable; however, Holmes was apprehensive to notify anyone about what was going on for fear of losing her job and upsetting her husband. On one occasion, the Respondent went into Holmes' office, came up behind her and bit her on the neck while she was working at her desk. At this point, Holmes informed the office manager who transferred her to another attorney. She no longer worked for the Respondent. During late 2004 after the Respondent returned to the office with limitations on his conduct, whenever Holmes saw the Respondent, he would put his hands behind his back and say, I'm not touching you. This made Holmes think that the Respondent was thinking of touching her and she felt violated. Rule 8.4(b) provides that [a] lawyer shall not commit a criminal act that reflects adversely on the lawyer's honesty, trustworthiness or fitness as a lawyer in other respects. 11 Del. C. '763(2) states that [a] person is guilty of sexual harassment when: ... (2) [t]he person suggests, solicits, requests, commands, importunes or otherwise attempts to induce another person to have sexual contact or sexual intercourse or unlawful sexual penetration with the actor, knowing that the actor is thereby likely to cause annoyance, offense or alarm to that person. Pursuant to 11 Del. C. '763, sexual harassment is an unclassified misdemeanor in the State of Delaware. 11 Del. C. '601(a)(1) states that [a] person is guilty of offensive touching when the person: (1) [i]ntentionally touches another person either with a member of his or her body or with any instrument, knowing that the person is thereby likely to cause offense or alarm to such other person. Pursuant to 11 Del. C. '601(c), any violation of paragraph (a)(1) is an unclassified misdemeanor, unless the victim falls within one of several specified categories. By engaging in the course of conduct described herein with Holmes, the Respondent sexually harassed and offensively touched Holmes in violation of Rule 8.4(b). (Count 54)