Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld on Tuesday reiterated its eagerness to patch things up with a former client whose CEO was allegedly taken advantage of by a former firm lawyer.

At the same time, the firm's 44-page answer to the legal malpractice lawsuit filed by Future Media Architects throws up a host of affirmative defenses to the company's claims. Most notably, Akin Gump pins blame on a former senior counsel who previously told ALM that her conduct on the case was being mischaracterized.

"Akin will continue its efforts to fulfill its obligations to its former client FMA and stands ready and willing to compensate FMA for any valid claims for remaining damages actually caused by its misconduct. Akin continues to seek a mechanism through which the parties can discuss the outstanding amounts FMA believes are owed," the law firm said.

Akin Gump's filing tracks with an earlier statement the law firm made in response to the lawsuit, which FMA filed in New York state court in December. FMA accused Akin Gump lawyers of looting the internet domain business by paying for personal expenses, including a family vacation in the Cayman Islands and nearly $3,000 in Broadway tickets.

At the time, the law firm said it had made "and will continue to make—every effort to remediate any remaining harm FMA has suffered."

Although Akin Gump is the sole defendant, the lawsuit names former and current lawyers at the firm. Chief among them is Heidi Liss, a former senior counsel who allegedly used FMA's funds to pay thousands of dollars off her credit card, including $2,788 worth of Broadway tickets to see "Book of Mormon" and "Kinky Boots."

In its answer, Akin Gump recounted how in November 2015 it discovered Liss "might have engaged in practices that did not comport with Akin's policies, ethical requirements or normal practice." The law firm said it terminated her a month later, and in the months since then, it has "deducted nearly $600,000 from Akin's charges to FMA for legal services."

Although Akin quit representing FMA in June 2016, the law firm said it was working with the company to reimburse it for charges up until August 2019. On Aug. 21, Akin Gump said it gave a "full and complete accounting to FMA and asked FMA whether FMA believed that the accounting was incomplete or inaccurate."

It wasn't until this lawsuit was filed that the law firm realized FMA disagreed, Akin Gump said in its filing. FMA, a British Virgin Islands company that traffics in internet domain names, is seeking at least $25 million in damages.

Liss, who is not a defendant in the case, told ALM she was "blindsided" FMA's allegations she took advantage of Thunayan Al-Ghanim, the former CEO of the company. She said the business trips with Al-Ghanim and the entertainment she arranged for him was "always with the knowledge and approval of the firm including the partners with whom I worked."

"Prior to leaving the firm in 2015, I worked successfully for Akin Gump for over 18 years with senior partners and leadership on sensitive matters for high value clients as part of the private client group," Liss said in December. "The allegations made in the complaint are not an accurate characterization of the work I performed for this client under the supervision of the team."

FMA says Al-Ghanim struggled with substance abuse and mental health issues, which gave Akin Gump's lawyers an opening to assume control of his company's finances—setting up bank accounts in Akin Gump's name, charging and paying attorney fees without FMA's approval, and selling internet domain names at below-market rates, FMA alleged.

Akin Gump is being represented by lawyers from Lankler Siffert & Wohl; they did not respond to a request for comment Thursday. FMA is being represented by Moses Ziegelman Richards & Notaro. Adam Richards, a partner at the firm, declined to comment.

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Lawsuit: Akin Gump Lawyers Used Client Money for Cayman Islands Vacation, Broadway Tickets