The incoming president of Australia's leading lawyers' group has decided he doesn't want the job because an allegation about his conduct at a function may distract from its work.
Konrad de Kerloy denied the allegation about his behaviour, which was levelled by a fellow director at the Law Council of Australia.
An independent investigation commissioned by current council president Arthur Moses was also unable to make a ruling either way on the claim.
"(It) was unable to determine the allegation and made no adverse findings against either Mr de Kerloy or the director who made the allegation," Mr Moses said in a statement on Thursday.
Mr de Kerloy had stood aside as president-elect while the investigation was underway.
He resumed the post in late May but handed his resignation to Mr Moses on Thursday.
"He has reluctantly concluded that the matter may continue to be an unnecessary distraction from the important work of the Law Council," Mr Moses said.
Mr de Kerloy was a director at the Law Council from 2014 and its treasurer since 2017, before being elected its next President.
