Plaintiffs-side employment and civil rights firm Sanford Heisler on Monday trumpeted the arrival of former federal Judge Kevin Sharp, who will join the firm as a name partner and open its fifth office, in Nashville, Tennessee.

The announcement comes as the firm—now called Sanford Heisler Sharp—is trading blows with Chadbourne & Parke in a $100 million lawsuit accusing Chadbourne of short-changing women partners on pay and leadership opportunities. Sanford Heisler chairman David Sanford said in a statement on Monday that he expects Sharp to play a critical role in the case.

“Kevin brings a unique perspective as a practitioner and judge, along with a sensitivity to social justice,” Sanford said. “Judge Sharp will be invaluable as counsel in our gender discrimination suit against Chadbourne & Parke. With his keen awareness of the legal marketplace in the South, he will help enormously in our fight for gender equity in the legal profession.”