Shon Morgan, who chairs Quinn's national class action practice, will take the lead in defending USC (but not the doctor, George Tyndall) against putative class actions that now include dozens of plaintiffs. Morgan declined comment. USC will also be represented by firm founder John Quinn and partner Mike Williams, who have longstanding relationships with the university. Partner Susan Estrich—once dubbed a “ feminist hero ” by The Washington Post, and who until recently was also a law professor at USC—will play a role in the university's defense as well. It's an impressive lineup—but USC is likely to need their collective firepower. In May, the Los Angeles Times broke the story about Tyndall's misdeeds just as Michigan State University agreed to pay $500 million to settle claims by sexual assault victims of sports doctor Lawrence G. Nassar. The first lawsuits against USC and Tyndall, who is represented by medical malpractice defense lawyer N. Denise Taylor, were filed less than a week later. The plaintiffs allege that the gynecologist sexually violated and abused them under the guise of performing medical exams, and that the university knew about his behavior for years but failed to take action. “The women who sought care from Dr. Tyndall trusted him and USC to uphold basic promises to protect them and because they needed medical care,” said Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro partner Elizabeth Fegan, who along with name partner Steve Berman filed a putative class action against the university and the doctor on May 21 in Los Angeles federal court. “Dr. Tyndall chose to violate the very people seeking his help, those who would be most vulnerable, and what's worse, USC knew about it.” Celebrity lawyer Gloria Allred sued a day later. She represents 24 students including Danielle Mohazab, who at a May 22 press conference recounted the doctor's “creepy smile,” inappropriate comments about her race and groping, gloveless examination. Another pending class was brought by Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein's Jonathan Selbin and Annika Martin, along with Joseph Sauder of Sauder Schelkopf and Marc Godino of Glancy Prongay & Murray. “Over the years that Tyndall has been employed by USC,” their complaint states, “numerous class members have made eerily similar complaints about his inappropriate, abusive, and harassing behavior, including, but not limited to: Tyndall taking photographs of his female patients' genitals without any medical purpose; making suggestive comments about patients' bodies during gynecological examinations; touching student-patients' bodies in a manner that had no medical purpose; requiring student-patients to lie fully nude on the table during gynecological examinations; and making improper and sexual comments about their bodies and other comments of a sexual or suggestive nature.” Yet another class action was filed by Girard Gibbs lawyers Daniel Girard, Adam Polk, Jordan Elias and Elizabeth Kramer. In all, more than 20 lawsuits have been brought against the university and the doctor, who also faces a criminal investigation. The university is also being investigated by the U.S. Department of Education for its response to allegations against the doctor. In other words, the Quinn Emanuel team should have plenty to keep them busy. |

Buckley Sandler Vows Vigorous Defense of Ex-Senate Staffer in Leak Probe

Also lawyering up: Former Senate Intelligence Committee staffer James Wolfe, who was indicted and arrested earlier this month for allegedly lying to the FBI about his contacts with reporters in the course of a leak investigation. Wolfe is being defended by Buckley Sandler co-managing partner Benjamin Klubes, who is best-known for his work on behalf of banks in big trouble, and partner Preston Burton, whose former clients include Monica Lewinsky, former CIA intelligence agent Aldrich H. Ames, and former FBI Special Agent Robert Hanssen. It's a case that has sent a shiver through the Washington press corps and government establishment. As part of the investigation, the feds took the highly unusual step of seizing the phone and email records of New York Times reporter Ali Watkins, who allegedly had a prior romantic relationship with Wolfe. “This prosecution raises very substantial First Amendment and freedom of the press issues that will be addressed in court,” Buckley Sandler said in a statement. “[O]ur firm likely will be filing soon a motion seeking an order from the court prohibiting the government at all levels, including President Trump, from making improper and prejudicial statements regarding this case.” (Which begs the question: Would a court order actually stop Trump from tweeting about something?) The firm also stressed that Wolfe has not been charged with leaking classified information. Rather, the indictment is for three counts of making false statements when queried about his “repeated contacts” with reporters. Also notable: Buckley Sandler in its press release directs supporters to Wolfe's Go Fund Me page for his legal defense. Hopefully, that's not what the firm is counting on for getting paid. To date, the fund has raised $1,790 of its $500,000 goal. |

What I'm Reading

Fujifilm Seeks $1 Billion Over Collapsed Deal for Takeover of Xerox Carl Icahn and Darwin Deason won their proxy fight—but will it wind up costing cost Xerox $1 billion for pulling out of its merger with Fuji? US Justice Dept. Returns to SCOTUS to Challenge Another National Injunction “Such injunctions frustrate development of the law, effectively freezing in place the first ruling adverse to the government unless and until appellate courts intervene.” Justices Add Key Cases on Apple's Antitrust Woes, Asset Forfeiture and Securities Fraud The latest additions to the fall docket include a fight over allegedly anti-competitive conduct by Apple's App Store--“A critical question for antitrust law in the era of electronic commerce,” according to Apple lawyer Daniel Wall of Latham & Watkins. Korean University Backed by Irell Wins $400 Million From Samsung An Irell team led by partner Jason Sheasby scored a $400 million jury verdict in the Eastern District of Texas. White & Case Lands in Chicago with Small Office, Big Ambitions The firm's U.S. disputes practice head Jason Zakia is relocating to Chicago, joined by new partners including white-collar specialist Carolyn Gurland, whose past clients have included former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Underwood May Be Calm, Professorial, But She Has Charged Into AG Role In an interview with ALM's Colby Hamilton, New York AG Barbara Underwood defended her office's suit against the Trump Foundation, noting “I think it would have been political to decline to bring a case merely because the charity was run by a person who had become the president of the United States.”