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Paul Weiss Fights Bid to Disqualify Representation in Google Litigation
In a recent development, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, a prominent law firm, has lodged a request with a U.S. judge to dismiss an attempt made by Yelp (YELP.N) and another former client to prevent the law firm from representing Alphabet’s Google (GOOGL.O) in a legal battle concerning its digital advertising business practices. The legal maneuverings surrounding this case have taken center stage in Alexandria, Virginia, federal court, with Paul Weiss’s attorneys accusing Yelp and the News/Media Alliance of “gamesmanship” in their efforts to disqualify the firm from acting as Google’s lead defense counsel.
Background: U.S. Justice Department vs. Google
To provide context, the U.S. Justice Department and a group of states initiated legal proceedings against Google in January, alleging antitrust violations. Although Yelp and the news media coalition are not parties to this lawsuit, they have asserted in a filing that Paul Weiss was “changing sides” by representing Google on matters for which the firm had previously provided counsel to them.
Paul Weiss Counters Accusations
Paul Weiss’s legal representatives, hailing from Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr, have vehemently refuted claims of a substantial relationship between the Justice Department’s case and their prior work for Yelp and the news alliance. In their filing, Paul Weiss stated that they have not provided legal services to Yelp or the news alliance since late 2020. Notably, both clients severed ties with the firm when their former Paul Weiss attorneys, Jonathan Kanter, and Brandon Kressin, departed to establish a boutique law firm. Remarkably, Kanter was subsequently chosen by President Joe Biden to lead the Department of Justice’s antitrust division.
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Google’s Defense at Stake
The potential disqualification of Paul Weiss at this juncture is argued to have severe repercussions for Google, as WilmerHale attorneys have contended. Paul Weiss revealed that it invested over 10,000 hours in Google’s defense efforts.
A Multifaceted Legal Team for Google
In addition to Paul Weiss, Google is represented by lawyers from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider in the Virginia case. Google has consistently denied any wrongdoing throughout the proceedings.
Paul Weiss Asserts its Representation as Appropriate
In a statement released on Monday, Paul Weiss affirmed the appropriateness of its representation of Google in all respects. The law firm asserted that its prior work for Yelp and the media group does not cast any doubt on its ability to represent Google in this ongoing case vigorously.
This legal battle, marked by high-stakes maneuvers and complex legal arguments, continues to unfold, with the outcome poised to have far-reaching implications for Google and its digital advertising practices.
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