The #MeToo movement, a popular global phenomenon aimed at demonstrating the widespread prevalence of sexual assault and harassment in the workplace, appears to be picking up pace in the legal industry after the exit of Latham & Watkins chairman William Voge over inappropriate sexual conduct.

Latham said on Tuesday that the London-based Voge was stepping down because he “exchanged communications of a sexual nature with a woman” and engaged in subsequent conduct “not befitting” the leader of a law firm. 

The firm added its statement that Voge voluntarily disclosed the communications to the firm’s executive committee. The messages were exchanged “with a woman whom he has never met in person and who had no connection to the firm,” Latham said.

Voge was the first partner based outside the United States to lead the firm. He was appointed as global chairman and managing partner in 2014 and had been with Latham since 1983.

Voges departure comes shortly after it was reported that Herbert Smith Freehills would be removing Peter Paradise, the Sydney-based regional head of practice for projects in the Asia-Pacific, from the partnership following an internal investigation into allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct.

Last month, Reuters reported that Baker Mckenzie’s London office had appointed an external legal team to review how it had responded to an employee’s allegation that she had been sexually assaulted by one of the firm’s partners. 

And in early March, it was reported that Mayer Brown capital markets partner James R. Tanenbaum had been previously fired from Morrison & Foerster’s New York office after allegations of sexual harassment there were supported by an internal investigation.

Meanwhile, in New Zealand, the country’s largest law firm Russell McVeagh is embroiled in a sexual assault scandal, while Chapman Tripp is also under a sexual harassment cloud.