Jones Day does not want lawyer named in lawsuit, Wigdor calls Quinn Emanuel's claims "fricking ridiculous"
Reuters Legal
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Jones Day has called an amended sex-bias complaint filed by married former associates Mark Savignac and Julia Sheketoff "procedurally improper" and a "transparent" ploy for media attention.
In asking U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss to strike the complaint, Jones Day also said the plaintiffs should not have been allowed to file without the court's leave and the firm's permission.
The plaintiffs said Jones Day's issues and appeals practice leader Traci Lovitt, who represents Jones Day in the litigation, was involved in producing a press statement the firm issued early in the case that was "retaliatory," and should be named as a defendant.
Jones Day said because Lovitt was acting as counsel to the firm, the press statement is not a "proper subject of a retaliation claim."
The original lawsuit filed in 2019 claims that Jones Day's family leave policy violates civil rights law because it offers paid disability leave for birth mothers but not fathers.
TW: Rape, sexual assault
If you had to pick two major law firms particularly known for fierce, aggressive tactics, you could do a lot worse than naming Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan and Wigdor, writes columnist Alison Frankel.
The hostilities between the two escalated in a Quinn filing on Wednesday that accuses Wigdor of making “inaccurate” representations about when it began representing former model Guzel Ganieva, who accused billionaire Leon Black of rape, and of helping Ganieva promote her claims about Black to journalists.
Wigdor partner Jeanne Christensen said Quinn’s latest assertions are “so fricking ridiculous” and “total and utter nonsense.”
“We have nothing to hide. I can’t even imagine what a judge is going to think of this."
Rancor and outrage have been hallmarks of this litigation since it began in June 2021. Ganieva alleged that Black had sexually abused her for years before coercing her into signing a non-disclosure agreement.
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Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel is expanding to Washington, D.C., adding 24 lawyers in the city from litigation firm Robbins, Russell, Englert, Orseck & Untereiner.
This will be the firm’s fourth office, in addition to New York, Silicon Valley and Paris.
Paul Schoeman, co-managing partner of Kramer Levin, said the firm is "doubling down" on litigation with the combination, citing Robbins Russell's work in appellate and U.S. Supreme Court cases.
The Washington market has attracted several new law firms in the past year. Armstrong Teasdale on Thursday said the firm will open an office there with the addition of a new partner. Firms including Fenwick & West and Ellis George Cipollone O'Brien Annaguey have also added D.C. outposts.
The team joining Kramer Levin from Robbins Russell includes 11 partners, the firm said.
The latest law firms to pull up stakes from Russia include three leading London-founded firms, Allen & Overy, Clifford Chance and Herbert Smith Freehills, which each said Thursday they would exit Moscow.
Missouri-headquartered Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner also said Thursday it would leave Russia.
The Texas-based law firm Baker Botts, which has a significant oil and gas practice, is also shuttering its Moscow office, as is the Chicago-based firm Winston & Strawn, both firms said Thursday.
While few have offered specifics, many of the firms have also said they are reviewing their work for Russian clients, including ending or refusing to take on matters for Russian state-owned entities.
A spokesperson for the global law firm Dentons said Thursday that its offices in Russia remain open.
"We are focused on our people, who bear no responsibility for the actions taken by their government, and our clients, who need advice regarding their business affairs in Russia, including how to wind down those operations."
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