Editors note: John Barber and Jeff Ranen resigned from their roles on Monday afternoon. Click here for further coverage of this story. Founding partners of Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith spinoff Barber Ranen for years have referred to colleagues using misogynistic, homophobic and antisemitic language, according to emails that have been obtained by The American Lawyer. "Kill her by anal penetration," Barber Ranen managing partner John Barber said in a June 15, 2012, email to fellow founding partner Jeff Ranen, currently serving as the firm's chief operating officer, when discussing an employee's overtime pay request. Barber's remark came alongside Ranen's remark to Barber, "By the way, Jew, you owe me $100." Newly disclosed emails, reported on Saturday by The New York Post, run contrary to the message of inclusion and empowerment that Barber and Ranen have projected to the media regarding their motivation for founding their new firm. "One of the key components of the 'why' is creating an environment where people are afforded the opportunity to become the best they can be, whether it's the best file clerk or the best lawyer or the best receptionist," Barber told The American Lawyer in a May Q&A. "And you do that by communicating very clearly the value you place upon them, by creating an environment which is safe and nurturing." Yet the newly disclosed emails suggest a different tone taken by the partners in email correspondence. In an email exchange in March 2022, Barber told Ranen and another partner at Lewis Brisbois that a certain Los Angeles Superior Court judge "loves" being called "sugar tits." Barber Ranen was launched at the end of April by former equity partners leading Lewis Brisbois' national employment department, recruiting more than 100 lawyers from their prior firm. Court records show a number of Lewis Brisbois clients have switched representation to the newly created firm. The emails have surfaced following an anonymous complaint lodged against Barber and Ranen to a member of Lewis Brisbois' management committee concerning the lawyers' behavior, said a spokesperson for the Lewis Brisbois management committee. "In keeping with firm policies, the management committee immediately began an investigation and were shocked to find dozens of emails between John Barber and Jeff Ranen with unacceptable, prejudiced language aimed at our colleagues, clients, attorneys from other firms, and even judges," said a statement on behalf of the committee. "Though we are continuing to conduct a broader review of Barber and Ranen's behavior at the firm, including a full review of their correspondence—as well as interviewing other employees who interacted with the pair—because the lawyers in question are no longer with the firm, we are taking no disciplinary action at this time." A source familiar with Lewis Brisbois said the firm has brought in a diversity and inclusion consultant to advise the firm on the investigation as well as all of the firm's HR and harassment policies. Antisemitic language was commonly used by Barber and Ranen when ribbing each other over unpaid money and discussing their negotiations on pricing with vendors, the emails show. "Do I Jew her down to $1,000 or will that create some bad will given our relationship and the fact that $200 isn't much to me anymore?" Ranen asked Barber regarding an office redesign on Dec. 30, 2014. "Since when can we not make Jew jokes? Fucking society …" Ranen said in a later email Feb. 28, 2015. In the aftermath of George Floyd's murder, Ranen sent Barber a May 31 email stating "Fucking looters came within a mile and a half. I can't even imagine what it was like living in Larchmont in 1992 when the savages decimated Koreatown." Barber said in response, "Just to illustrate my enlightenment, as buildings burned within a mile or so that night, we had a party, got wasted and yelled inappropriate things from the balcony. It's a wonder I'm still alive." In a July 2012 email, Ranen said to Barber that "gypsy" was his "new word to describe about half the minorities in California. Generally with an Armo, Persian or middle eastern flair." This came after Barber asked him about Ramin Younessi, whom Ranen said he had three cases against him. "Volume based gypsy practice," Ranen said. "Has a few associates who do all the work. Doesn't go to trial but is a surprisingly tough negotiator due to his Persian background." In a 2012 email exchange, Ranen said "Just debating on whether to spite bang her if we bump into each other," about a colleague. Ranen had asked who the colleague was traveling with on a certain trip. A few days later on Nov. 12, Barber offered a word of caution: "You need to be way more careful with what you put in writing. "I'm sure you're right. Pot – Kettle – Black," responded to Ranen. "I 'woke up' more than a year ago. Cautious now," Barber responded. A spokesperson for Barber Ranen did not respond to a request for comment. This story has been updated to include a statement by the management committee of Lewis Brisbois. A previous version of this story revealed the name of a judge subject to an unflattering nickname in the leaked emails. That name has been removed.