Law students face repercussions as racist WhatsApp chat exposed

Jul 04, 2018

Written By Becky Kells, Editor, AllAboutLaw

Members of the Bracton Law Society at the University of Exeter are being investigated after screenshots from a WhatsApp group chat revealed racist comments.

Entitled the “Dodgy Blokes Soc”, the chat included phrases such as “we need a race war” and “bomb the mosques”. As well as racist slurs, the members also used sexist and homophobic language.

A student named Arsalan Motavali made screenshots of the chat public in an effort to expose the offensive language, and also revealed that he had contacted university chiefs and the students’ union about the racist comments.

The students, who attend the University of Exeter, were committee members of the Bracton Law Society. Since the screenshots emerged, the Bracton Law Society has responded on Twitter announcing that it has banned the members in question.

It stated: “Following tonight’s incident, Bracton Law Society has taken the decision to remove those involved from the committee, ban the candidate from the ongoing election and indefinitely ban all those involved from the Society”.

It continued: “The society does not condone or tolerate such behaviour”.

The five students involved in the group chat have all been suspended by the University of Exeter “pending a major investigation”. The University said: "the University of Exeter does not tolerate any form of racist, sexist or bigoted behaviour and is committed to eradicating any instances of discrimination and harassment that may arise.”

As well as prompt responses from both the society itself and the University of Exeter, participants in the group chat have felt the repercussions from the law sector they hope to enter.

One student had been offered a training contract at Hill Dickinson. Following the alleged messages, the firm made the decision to revoke the offer, stating: “following serious allegations made against an individual who was due to join the firm in September 2019, we have now spoken to the individual and revoked his offer of employment”.

Meanwhile, student newspaper the Tab reported that another member of the group chat, who was working as an RPC brand ambassador, has had his employment terminated by the firm. The student was employed by a third-party agency, and in a statement to the Tab, RPC said it was “appalled” at the alleged messages, and while the student was never a direct employee of RPC, the firm was “treating the situation as seriously as if he was”.

While the outcome of the investigation is still pending, the unanimous response from the University, the Bracton Law Society and the law firms demonstrates that racism will not be tolerated within the legal profession.

Blog