City-based law firm Ince has launched a formal investigation into allegations that a group of its senior staff behaved ‘inappropriately’ towards a waitress at a restaurant in Cardiff last week. 

The investigation, which will be overseen by the listed law firm's independent directors, was triggered after the restaurant’s owner, Lee Skeet, shared an email addressed to Ince finance director John Biles, who was present at the dinner, on Twitter last Thursday complaining about the group’s conduct and banning them from the restaurant. 

In the post, which has gone viral, Skeet complained the waitress was 'talked down to, disrespected, and touched unwantedly by members of your group’.

He added that he would refund Biles the £1,000 bill, the largest the restaurant had ever had on one table, minus £100 to be given to Lily ‘as you left no tip’. He later retracted that offer and shared a post on Twitter showing he had transferred the entire £1,000 to the waitress. 

The dinner at the restaurant, named Cora, last Wednesday was part of a two-day management meeting for senior members of the firm, Ince said. 

News that Biles was to retire was circulated internally at Ince last Thursday. A spokesperson for the firm said that its timing was not connected to the dinner, and Global Legal Post understands he has not been accused of any misconduct in relation to the group’s behaviour at Cora. 

Biles, who is 82, will hand over his responsibilities at Ince over the next four months ahead of his retirement later this year. 

A spokesperson for Ince said: “The company has been made aware of allegations in the media in relation to senior staff attending a dinner on Wednesday evening. The independent directors have therefore initiated a formal investigation. Whilst it is ongoing it would be inappropriate to comment further.”

Biles did not respond to a request for comment.