Law Firms
Ex-Kasowitz Partner Files $90M Suit Over Claim of ‘Extremely Inappropriate’ Conduct
Posted Jun 6, 2008, 07:07 am CDT
By Debra Cassens Weiss
The former chairman of the intellectual property group at Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman has filed a $90 million defamation suit against the firm for issuing a press release that said he was fired for “extremely inappropriate personal conduct."
Jeremy Pitcock contends in his suit that the conduct was nothing more than a "brief, consensual kiss" with an associate at her apartment after a night of drinking, the American Lawyer reports. He says the press release resulted in his firing from a new law firm, Morgan & Finnegan, and made it impossible to find a new job.
Pitcock claims Kasowitz Benson partners realized he was about to jump to a new firm and wanted to fire him so they could retain his book of business, worth millions of dollars.
After the kiss, the suit says, Pitcock had no contact with the associate except for a couple e-mails he sent her, according to the American Lawyer summary. The firm began an investigation after the second e-mail. Pitcock alleges he was called into a meeting to discuss the e-mail with two senior partners and one of them, Eric Wallach, behaved in an aggressive manner, according to the story.
The article says Pitcock’s suit “reads like the IP version of a John Grisham novel.” The complaint claims the firm pushed out another lawyer after he “served his purpose” by recruiting Pitcock and a third lawyer. It also details conflict over Pitcock’s promotion to IP chief and rivalry with other lawyers, including Wallach, accused in the complaint of wanting Pitcock ousted from the firm.
The Am Law Daily posted the complaint (PDF) and a press release about the lawsuit.
Updated at 9:25 a.m. to add the complaint and press release.
Related Stories
- N.Y. Gov Signs New Pension Law to Rein In Renegade Gov’t Legal Advisers
Oct 13, 2008, 05:59 pm CDT - Latham Stuns Magic Circle’s A&O With 7-Partner Hong Kong Raid
Oct 13, 2008, 05:19 pm CDT - Bomb Scare at Lieff Cabraser
Oct 13, 2008, 04:56 pm CDT - Do Good Work, and Business Will Bring Itself In, Rainmaker Says
Oct 13, 2008, 04:04 pm CDT
Commenting has expired on this post.
Comments
Posted by msg - 4 months, 1 week, 1 day, 1 hour, 6 minutes ago
This is an interesting case. On the one hand - the guy is obviously a scoundrel - he is kissing another women while his wife is home and pregnant. Then he makes it worse by sending her emails at work. What a dope. He puts his job at risk by doing that. I don’t feel bad for him losing his job. But on the other hand, the firm that fired him should not have done what it did. They did interfere with his ability to earn a living in the future and they should have known better than that - after all they are lawyers! Don’t they understand employment law, defamation law, etc...?! He is due damages - how much is the question to be decided here.
Posted by dead - 4 months, 1 week, 1 day, 1 hour, 6 minutes ago
They will kill everyone he loves and make everyone think he did bad things against them to make them hate him too. And they will take pleasure in it.
Posted by Bill - 4 months, 1 week, 20 hours, 1 minute ago
Where’s Michael Clayton when you need him?
Posted by anonymous - 4 months, 1 week, 17 hours, 25 minutes ago
First, anyone that has worked in “big law” knows that outrageous “personal” behavior is the norm at firm social events, not the exception. Binge drinking is expected and encouraged. For example, after the primary social event is over, many firms host and pay for 1-2 lavish after-parties at swank bars and clubs which last into the wee hours of the morning. And firm social events are a total flirt-fest free for all, with some partners and associates going WAY beyond a consensual kiss. Bad behavior far beyond a kiss is well-known and ignored by big law on a routine basis. Certainly Kasowitz is no exception. The firm wanted his clients and found a handy excuse to get rid of him. Big firms bully rouge associates and partners routinely - so again, this type of honor-less scorched earth actions by Kasowitz should be no surprise to anyone. This time, however, the partner is fighting back. Good for him.
Unless, of course, he actually harassed the associate in some way through these mysterious “emails” the complaint references. Much behavior is ignored by firms when offenders’ judgment was comprised by too many martinis. But in the cold - and sober - light of day, a firm should respond incredibly negatively to “personal” emails sent to an associate following such an incident.
Posted by Kevin - 4 months, 3 days, 22 hours, 31 minutes ago
90 Million should take away the sting of getting shut down by that 26 year old hottie associate, getting thrown out on your ass by your wife, and handed a pink slip by not one but TWO firms.
If it settles for even half that, go build a house in Antigua and never look back.