A SOLICITOR hired as a director of a law firm described the chaos surrounding the company as its owner faced accusations of sexual discrimination.

James Parry was in charge of finance and human resources alongside his job as a criminal advocate at Nadim Associates Solicitors, in 2008 and 2009.

He was called to an employment tribunal in Liverpool yesterday to talk about his role as solicitor Kate Welch and colleague Jenny Conroy challenged their dismissal from the firm by former British merchant mariner Captain Ibrahim Nadim.

Mr Parry, the firm’s former second-in-command, said: “The business was being run in a state where most of my time was taken up with what I would describe as firefighting.”

Nadim Associates, based in Birkenhead’s John Laird centre and with an office on Smithdown Road, Liverpool, was founded by former Egyptian Navy sailor Captain Nadim .

He is accused of making a string of sexist comments, including saying there were too many women in his employ, implying women shouldn’t drive big cars and making a suggestive comments.

Mr Parry, speaking on the third day of the tribunal, said he found some of Capt Nadim’s comments and behaviour “bizarre”, particularly in relation to one of his accounts managers, Victoria Kean.