have been watching this case below for some time, and a slight development happened
bloomberg.com
Star Lawyer David Boies and Chinese Tycoon Guo Wengui Split
More stories by Tiffany KaryJanuary 19, 2018, 5:34 AM GMT+8
By Tiffany Kary
January 19, 2018, 2:17 AM GMT+8
U.S. battles over defamation claims taken on by new counsel
Guo’s corruption allegations and Bannon ties stir controversy
Guo Wengui Photographer: TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP
Guo Wengui, the controversial businessman sought by China for making various allegations of corruption against the country’s rich and powerful, will no longer be represented by famed lawyer David Boies as part of a shakeup of his legal team in the U.S.
Boies Schiller & Flexner LLP will no longer represent Guo, said a representative at the law firm that Boies founded, confirming court filings this month. Former federal prosecutor Duncan Levin of Tucker Levin PLLC is also severing ties with Guo on three cases, according to court documents. Levin confirmed he no longer represents Guo and declined further comment. A spokeswoman for Guo declined to comment on the reason for the change.
Read more: BusinessWeek feature on David Boies
Boies, who fought for Al Gore in the famous Bush v. Gore dispute, and more recently now-former client Harvey Weinstein, will be replaced by New Jersey-based Cohen & Howard LLP in defending Guo against a defamation case lodged by China’s HNA Group Co. The law firm will represent Guo in three other cases, and will work with Washington-based Ward & Berry PLLC, said Aaron Mitchell, a lawyer with Cohen & Howard. The change doesn’t represent a shift in legal strategy, he said.
The reshuffle is the latest twist in Guo’s legal saga -- he’s sought by Chinese authorities through Interpol and facing around 10 lawsuits in the U.S. The dissident has also been seeking asylum in America. Guo, who frequently posts his allegations on social media, has said he’s a whistleblower motivated to change China.
He has also come under scrutiny for his ties with former chief strategist for U.S. President Donald Trump, Steve Bannon. This month, Matt Drudge accused him of being a “benefactor” for Bannon. Guo, who has posted photos of himself with Bannon on Twitter, denied the claim through a spokeswoman. He has never had a financial relationship with him, or given any money to his projects, she said. Guo has said he likes Bannon because he takes seriously Guo’s allegations that China seeks to create turmoil in the U.S. The former Breitbart News chairman has taken a hard line on U.S. relations with China.
Guo last year parted ways with another law firm, Washington-based Clark Hill, which had represented him on his request for U.S. asylum. The separation came after reports the firm had suffered a cyberattack in September. A Clark Hill spokesman confirmed an attack, and said it was limited to a single client, and declined further comment.
Levin, who also once served as a forfeiture chief for Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr., represented Guo in defamation cases including those from a Chinese real estate developer Soho China Ltd. and a Beijing Municipal Planning official. His firm will be replaced by Hodgson Russ LLP, according to court records. |
