Defendants opposing claims of discrimination, retaliation and defamation brought by a gay lawyer over his scuttled lateral move have renewed their attempts to have the federal court case against them dropped.

Law firms Raynes McCarty and Anapol Schwartz filed supplemental memoranda supporting motions for summary judgment May 28 in Downs v. Anapol Schwartz, which is set for trial in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in September.

Raynes McCarty pointed to statements and representations that plaintiff Jeffrey Downs and his attorney made during the recently concluded state trial as evidence that the federal suit should be tossed. Earlier last month, a Philadelphia jury returned a defense verdict in Downs' state action against Anapol Schwartz.