The Hong Kong District Court has set aside an anonymity order granted to a woman who had accused Stefano Mariani, a former partner and head of tax at Deacons, of sexual harassment.

The court also ordered Jennifer Baccanello, who still works at Deacons, to pay legal costs to Mariani after she discontinued her sexual harassment claim against him.

Baccanello had secured an anonymity order in October 2023, allowing her name to be redacted from legal filings, before circulating her claim online alleging Mariani sexually harassed her in violation of Hong Kong's sex discrimination laws.

Deacons had previously investigated and rejected her claims against Mariani, with Baccanello confirming in writing her agreement with the conclusion, according to the court decision.

The judge said Baccanello failed to fully and accurately disclose material information to the court when seeking the anonymity order, which is meant to be an exception to the principle of open justice.

"There was some force in the argument...that (her) presentation of the evidence went beyond a simple failure of material non-disclosure, but was a deliberate attempt to mislead the court," the judge wrote.

After reviewing messages between Baccanello and Mariani, the judge commented they appeared to show a consensual romantic affair rather than improper conduct.

Mariani, who moved to Baker McKenzie in 2023, before exiting the firm after the claims against him became public, said he was satisfied with the decision and Baccanello's discontinuance of her "baseless action." He has filed a defamation lawsuit against Baccanello and her husband over emails they sent last year.