Solicitor denies intimidating law student who claims she worked for him and is yet to be paid

The student claims an alleged malicious campaign of intimidation and harassment is "designed to pressure me into withdrawing my WRC claim against him".

Mr Justice O'Moore adjourned the case and added that he hoped to be in a position to fix a hearing date when the matter returns before the court. File picture

A Dublin-based solicitor denies allegations that he intimidated or harassed a law student who has made a complaint about him to the Workplace Relations Commission, the High Court has heard.

The student, Ms Sumaia Samanta, has asked the court for an injunction restraining solicitor, Mr Imtiaz Khan, practising under the style and title of IMK Solicitors from deliberately and punitively harassing, intimidating her and causing her intentional emotional distress.

Ms Samanta, who claims she made a complaint after she was not paid for work allegedly done for the defendant's firm, also wants the terms of the injunction applied to any alleged agent, associate of, or person acting on Mr Khan's befall.

Last week her lawyers David O'Brien BL, instructed by RNL Solicitors, secured permission from Mr Justice Brian O'Moore to serve short notice of her injunction application against Mr Khan.

When the matter returned before the court on Monday, Robert Beatty SC for Mr Khan said that application for an injunction is "unstateable" and should be dismissed. Counsel said the matter had received some attention in the media and as a practising solicitor his client was anxious that the application be heard as soon as possible.

Mr Justice O'Moore, after making directions in the case, adjourned the application. The judge added that he hoped to be in a position to fix a hearing date when the matter returns before the court.

Previously, the court heard that Ms Samanta holds a law degree from Bangladesh, and is currently studying at the Law Society of Ireland with a view to qualifying as a solicitor. She claims she worked for the defendant, who is based in Mountjoy Square in Dublin, in late 2022. 

In her affidavit, the plaintiff with an address in Leixlip, Co. Kildare, says that her role included promoting the firm via her social media and YouTube channel to members of Ireland's Bangladeshi community. She says that she was to be paid commission for every new client she brought into the firm, and her travel expenses.

However, she claims that she was not paid and as a result made a complaint to the WRC about Mr Khan.

Since making the complaint she claims that she has subjected to an alleged malicious campaign of intimidation and harassment, which she claims is "designed to pressure me into withdrawing my WRC claim against him".

As a result of the defendant's alleged actions, she has come before the court seeking various orders including an injunction and damages against Mr Khan.