More than 70 per cent of female lawyers surveyed in NSW reported being sexually harassed, with many saying they were subject to unwelcome touching, objectification and repeated advances in the workplace or at social events.

Key points: Women report being harassed by managers, barristers and judges

Women report being harassed by managers, barristers and judges Most incidents of sexual harassment go unreported

Most incidents of sexual harassment go unreported Lawyers say managers need to call out misconduct when they see it

The survey of 242 people revealed most of the incidents were going unreported, with only 18 per cent saying they had made a complaint to their employer.

Almost 50 per cent of respondents said the harasser was their manager, and in three cases they were allegedly harassed by a judge.

"The boss implied to others in the profession that we were in a sexual relationship," one anonymous respondent said.

Others said they were referred to as a secretary or even "angel" rather than a correct professional term.

One woman recounted: "A partner I was working with once criticised me because I wouldn't go with them into a strip club after a work function.

"Another partner at another law firm repeatedly tried to set me up with a solicitor at the same practice."

HR encouraging women 'not to rock the boat'

The survey was conducted by the Women Lawyers Association of NSW (WLANSW), and forms part of its submission to the Australian Human Rights Commission's inquiry into sexual harassment in the workplace.

It found women were not reporting sexual harassment because they feared it would impact their career.

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Others said they could not report it because they were barristers or self-employed.

Other reasons included that they were encouraged by HR "not to rock the boat", they did not think it would change anything, the harasser was the most senior person in their organisation or they feared they might be vilified.

Some of the respondents reported being pressured not to disclose what had happened to anyone.

"Systemic and lower-level harassment committed by employees or partners in all three firms that I worked at were excused, ignored or minimised," one woman quoted in the submission said.

Outcomes included a payout, the harasser being allowed to resign and the complaint kept confidential or a private settlement being reached.

More than half of the respondents said they were not confident their employer would deal with their concern in a thorough, confidential and impartial manner.

Only 5 per cent of women surveyed had complained to an external body.

Push to review bystander provisions

Almost 60 per cent of respondents said they had observed another person being sexually harassed and almost half agreed that policies should require people who observed the behaviour to report it.

The WLANSW submission makes a number of recommendations including that employers be legally required to maintain a workplace free of sexual harassment.

It also recommends that the Human Rights Commission be given powers to investigate and commence enforcement proceedings.

The association also wants employers to impose a duty on employees or "bystanders" who witness misconduct to report it.

"People who are in leadership positions should have an obligation to report wrongdoing where they see it," report author Larissa Andelman said.

"The conduct we walk past is the conduct that we condone."

NSW lawyer and report author Larissa Andelman. ( Supplied )

The report said the prevalence of sexual harassment in the workplace could be explained, in part, by the lack of transparency and secrecy that often surrounds complaints.

This includes the use of confidentiality clauses in employment contracts and settlement deeds.

"If allegations of sexual harassment are investigated and finalised by way of confidential agreements enforced by an employer, there is no way of knowing whether the employer is taking appropriate steps to protect other employees from potential harm," the report stated.

"Similarly, there is no way of knowing whether perpetrators, including serial perpetrators, will be prevented from continuing their illegal conduct towards others in the workplace."

Legal profession 'hostile to women'

Women make up 49 per cent of practising solicitors in NSW, but only 23 per cent of barristers.

The WLANSW submission says women make up less than 25 per cent of law firm partners in Australia.

"In an environment where junior roles are dominated by women and the most senior roles are dominated by men, there are unequal power relations between men and women," the submission said.

"There is some evidence that the legal profession, relative to other professions, is more hostile to women."

However Law Society of NSW president Elizabeth Espinosa said she did not believe the legal profession was any different to other industries in its experience of sexual harassment.

"It's no more a problem or less a problem than anywhere else," Ms Espinosa said.

"Sexual harassment in the workplace is an unfortunate human factor that as a community I guess we need to address together."

But she said another survey carried out by the International Bar Association late last year found in Australia, 37 per cent of lawyers reported sexual harassment, compared with 25 per cent globally.

"This is a situation that needs to change, and we've acknowledged that, especially the concept that few women report the behaviour to the authorities," Ms Espinosa said.

She said the Law Society of NSW had also made a submission, through its national body the Law Council, to the Human Rights Commission's national inquiry.

She said that submission called for clarification of the definition of sexual harassment in the legislation, shifting the onus of proof for complainants under the Sex Discrimination Act, strengthening protections for whistleblowers and extending a six-month time limit to bring a sexual harassment claim to the Australian Human Rights Commission.

It also called for a mandatory reporting scheme to hold workplaces publicly accountable for sexual harassment situations that may otherwise be kept quiet internally.