Dyson Heydon harassed ACT MLA Elizabeth Lee, she reveals

She says she's speaking out to help people understand the real reasons women confronted with predatory behaviour feel they are not able to come forward.

"If I don't use [my position] to speak up then what message is that sending to some of the younger women, the ones who may be in a more vulnerable position and the ones that are looking up to me," she said.

"As much as people on the sidelines with all the best intentions in he world encourage those who have experienced sexual harassment to speak up, there is a myriad of complex reasons why it's not always easy to do."

Ms Lee, now a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly, said she was persistently propositioned by Mr Heydon at the 2013 University of Canberra law ball.

It was the same event former ACT Law Society President Noor Blumer told The Sydney Morning Herald she was indecently assaulted at by Mr Heydon.

But there were others, too.

"For some of the women that I have spoken to who were at the same ball, it only came to light this week that it happened to a number of us," Ms Lee said.

"None of us knew."

Earlier in the week, through his lawyers, Mr Heydon denied all allegations of harassment that had been levelled against him

But Ms Lee says it was by no means the only, or even worst, experience of inappropriate behaviour she has had in her legal career.

The former lawyer says the industry culture that has allowed such behaviour must change.

Ms Lee was a law lecturer at the university at the time of the ball, at recalled sitting either next to or at the same table as Mr Heydon.

"I grappled in the last few days about whether I should have spoken up, whether it would have made a difference," she said.

"It's seven years later and it's come up again and in seven years time, do I want to look back and say that I let a second time slip by? A second time that I could have spoken up?"

Ms Lee said it was only when Ms Blumer went public with her allegations she realised she was not the only one to have experienced Mr Heydon's behaviour that night.

"That actually shows you how powerful it is to speak up," she said.

"At the time you don't know that it is a predatory pattern of behaviour.

"In my head it was a one-off sleazy encounter and then you try to forget about it."

Ms Lee, who writes about her experience in Saturday's Canberra Times, said it was near the end of the night at the ball when Mr Heydon came over and stood close to her on the dance floor.

She felt his clammy hand on her back and breath in her ear as he repeatedly asked her to go back to his hotel room, telling her his room number and that there was going to be a key left for her.

"He was quite insistent about it," Ms Lee said.

"He kept saying, 'You're coming, right? You're coming'?"

Mr Heydon's presence - a then venerated legal mind - at the event was a source of excitement for the students and lawyers alike.

"These people are put on a pedestal and to have that interaction is like a douse of cold water," she said.

Ms Lee said as a young lawyer you are forced to choose whether you want to be known as the person who spoke up about sexual harassment or assault, or for your legal talent.

And that was a very difficult decision to make.

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Her hope is she can now add positively to the discussion and show the role power dynamics play in someone's ability to speak up.

"If I can do my part so even one woman feels less alone, then I think that's a good thing," she said.

"My experience is very different from when I was a junior lawyer in a very, very weak position compared to where I am today.

"What matters is anyone at any level, no matter how junior, should feel empowered to speak up and call out behaviour."

Ms Lee says there has always been a culture of accepting sexualised or inappropriate banter in the legal profession.

But she said society's expectations had shifted, and so must the industry.

"The legal profession is not exempt and is not special and must also learn from this as well," she said.

For Ms Lee, there was another layer of complexity in speaking up to due her Korean heritage.

"If I'm feeling that way I'm sure there are others from a culturally and linguistically diverse background who are feeling the same," she said.

The High Court announced on Monday that an inquiry, conducted by former inspector-general of intelligence and security Dr Vivienne Thom, found Mr Heydon sexually harassed six women who worked as judges' associates during his time on the bench.

ACT Director of Public Prosecutions Shane Drumgold SC said he wrote to the Australian Federal Police on Tuesday.

He said he made "a strong recommendation" that officers investigate whether criminal charges should be laid against Mr Heydon.

Mr Heydon did not respond to requests for comment, however earlier the week categorically denied all allegations of predatory behaviour.

"Our client says that if any conduct of his has caused offence, that result was inadvertent and unintended and he apologises for any offence caused," his lawyers told the Sydney Morning Herald.

daniella.white@canberratimes.com.au