Dechert’s General Counsel to Testify in Hacking Lawsuit

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Dechert’s general counsel, Benjamin Rosenberg, is set to provide testimony this month in a lawsuit implicating the law firm in an alleged hacking scheme targeting an American business executive.

Deposition of Benjamin Rosenberg

Rosenberg will undergo a private deposition on Feb. 29, serving as the firm’s corporate representative. He will face questions regarding Dechert’s knowledge of the purported hacking scheme, according to a source familiar with the matter.

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Response from Dechert and Azima

Both Dechert and Farhad Azima, the executive filing the lawsuit, have remained silent in response to requests for comments. Dechert, however, has previously refuted Azima’s allegations.

Lawsuit Background

The lawsuit at the center of this legal battle was initiated by Azima four years ago against private investigator Nicholas Del Rosso. Azima accuses Del Rosso of orchestrating a hack into his computer systems, allegedly at the behest of Dechert and the firm’s former London-based partner, Neil Gerrard.

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Trial and Disputes

The case is scheduled for trial in North Carolina in September. Notably, Dechert is not directly named as a defendant in this particular dispute.

Azima’s legal battles extend beyond this lawsuit, including a separate case targeting Dechert over an alleged conspiracy involving the firm’s work for Ras al Khaimah, one of the emirates in the United Arab Emirates.

Root of Disputes

The origin of these disputes traces back to Ras Al Khaimah’s engagement of Neil Gerrard and Dechert a decade ago to assist in an investigation involving the emirate’s sovereign investment fund. Azima alleges that his business relationship with the emirate made him a target due to his efforts to expose human rights abuses within the regime.

Settlement and Former Cases

Dechert settled with Azima on Feb. 2 in a separate lawsuit filed in the UK, agreeing to pay Azima $3.8 million along with “reasonable costs.” Additionally, the firm settled a lawsuit brought by a former Wall Street Journal reporter last August, the details of which were undisclosed.

Deposition of Linda Goldstein

Linda Goldstein, a former Dechert partner who previously represented the emirate in US proceedings, underwent deposition in December as part of the North Carolina case.

Retirement and Departure

Neil Gerrard retired in 2020, while Linda Goldstein departed the firm two years later to assume the role of senior counsel at the Center for Reproductive Rights.

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