1 week ago
Central Park Kiss Puts New York Lawyer’s Career at Risk
A video showed a senior lawyer kissing a junior lawyer from the same law firm.
The video was recorded in New York’s Central Park and became very popular online.
The senior lawyer, Nathaniel Cullerton, is married.
His firm, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, put him on leave while it looked into the relationship.
He had also been expected to move to another large law firm.
That firm reportedly canceled its offer after the video spread.
Experts say relationships between bosses and junior workers can be complicated because the boss may affect the junior worker’s career.
They also say law firms often worry about favoritism, harassment claims and other workplace problems.
A viral video showed married Wachtell partner Nathaniel Cullerton kissing junior associate Kelsey Borenzweig in Central Park.
TikTok creator Jay Guapo filmed the encounter, which quickly spread across social media.
Cullerton was reportedly placed on leave while Wachtell investigated the relationship.
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher reportedly withdrew an offer for Cullerton to join the firm.
Employment experts said relationships involving major differences in workplace seniority can create risks involving favoritism, harassment, conflicts and retaliation.
- Who
- Wachtell partner Nathaniel Cullerton and junior associate Kelsey Borenzweig were shown in the video.
- What
- A video of the two kissing went viral, followed by professional consequences for Cullerton.
- Where
- Central Park in New York.
- When
- The video circulated online before an August 24 New York Post report; the articles do not provide the recording date.
- Why
- The incident raised concerns because Cullerton was senior to Borenzweig, creating a workplace power imbalance.
Accountability and Workplace Safeguards
Privacy and Proportionality
Senior-junior relationships
Accountability and Workplace Safeguards
Employment experts said a relationship can create risks because a partner may influence an associate’s career, including concerns about favoritism, harassment or retaliation.
Privacy and Proportionality
The article says most large law firms do not completely prohibit employee relationships, suggesting the relationship itself is not automatically treated as misconduct.
Professional consequences
Accountability and Workplace Safeguards
Wachtell placed Cullerton on leave and reportedly began separating him from the firm while investigating the relationship.
Privacy and Proportionality
A source cited by the New York Post said it would be inaccurate to describe Cullerton as already fired because he remained employed and on leave.
Public exposure
Accountability and Workplace Safeguards
The viral video brought attention to a relationship involving a substantial workplace power difference.
Privacy and Proportionality
The footage captured what appeared to be a private romantic moment, and the article notes that the incident’s online spread intensified the consequences beyond the original encounter.
Key facts
- Law firm
- Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
- People shown
- Partner Nathaniel Cullerton and junior associate Kelsey Borenzweig
- Location
- Central Park, New York
- Reported consequence
- Cullerton was placed on leave while Wachtell investigated the relationship.
- Planned move
- Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher reportedly withdrew its offer to Cullerton after the video went viral.
- Wider workplace concerns
- Experts cited power dynamics, favoritism, conflicts, harassment claims and retaliation as possible risks.
- Related controversy
- The story was compared with the viral Coldplay video involving former Astronomer executives Andy Byron and Kristin Cabot.
Quotes
Kate Bischoff
Employment attorney and human-resources consultant quoted by Reuters
“always a risk when there’s a difference in power dynamics”
firstpost.com
“It’s unavoidable, but you never celebrate this”
firstpost.com
Kelsey Borenzweig
Junior associate at Wachtell who was filmed with Nathaniel Cullerton
“put the phone down”
firstpost.com
Sources
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