{"id":133689,"date":"2025-09-22T17:03:19","date_gmt":"2025-09-23T01:03:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/2025\/09\/22\/top-biglaw-firm-files-defamation-lawsuit-against-former-associate-after-she-made-sexual-assault-allegations\/"},"modified":"2025-09-22T17:03:19","modified_gmt":"2025-09-23T01:03:19","slug":"top-biglaw-firm-files-defamation-lawsuit-against-former-associate-after-she-made-sexual-assault-allegations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/2025\/09\/22\/top-biglaw-firm-files-defamation-lawsuit-against-former-associate-after-she-made-sexual-assault-allegations\/","title":{"rendered":"Top Biglaw Firm Files Defamation Lawsuit Against Former Associate After She Made Sexual Assault Allegations"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Last week, mega Biglaw firm Baker McKenzie <a href=\"https:\/\/news.bloomberglaw.com\/business-and-practice\/baker-mckenzie-sues-ex-associate-accusing-firms-dc-head-of-sex-assault\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">filed a lawsuit <\/a>against a former associate in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The firm\u2019s defamation lawsuit alleges the former tax associate, Brooke Radford, made repeated allegations on social media and Reddit \u2014 some 80+ of them \u2014 falsely accusing a partner of sexually assaulting her and accusing the firm of covering it up.<\/p>\n<p>According to the complaint, available in full below, Radford said she was assaulted by Maurice Bellan (also a plaintiff in the lawsuit) and was terminated by the firm when she turned down the partner\u2019s advances. However, the firm maintains they had a very different reason for her termination.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Baker terminated Ms. Radford\u2019s employment during June 2025 because she: (1) made multiple unauthorized personal purchases on her Firm-issued credit card, including clothing at high-end clothing stores, first-class airplane tickets, and many personal food delivery and Lyft transportation charges; (2) violated other Firm policies; and (3) refused to cooperate with a Firm investigation into the unauthorized charges and other violations. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The complaint also documents \u201caccusatory, threatening, and otherwise odd comments\u201d Radford made in a group text chat of Baker tax associates.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>During June and July 2025, both after Baker had informed Ms. Radford that it was terminating her employment and after her employment officially ended, Ms. Radford texted messages to a Baker associates\u2019 group text chat that included, among other messages:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Accusing her former colleagues of \u201coppression\u201d;<\/li>\n<li>Accusing a former colleague of \u201cmov[ing] [her] things during a meeting\u201d;<\/li>\n<li>Singling out the same former colleague and asking whether she \u201cwould like to apologize for anything you\u2019ve done to me\u201d;<\/li>\n<li>Saying that she \u201cwanted to air some things out\u201d;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Radford also wrote to the group chat songs and albums about revenge, specifically \u201c5 AM in Philly,\u201d and the album \u201cAI Youngboy 2.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>The complaint also details \u201cthreatening\u201d text messages Radford sent to Bellan after she was terminated that included details on tragic news stories, a rap song about violent retribution, and one that said \u201cThe next person that contacts me on your behalf will be informed that you offered me $50,000 to have your grandchild then fired me because I chose not to. I suggest you call it quits before I let everyone know everything.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Before the firm filed their lawsuit, Radford said she planned legal action, but she\u2019s not commented on the lawsuit Baker McKenzie filed. The firm\u2019s spokesperson said of the suit, \u201cMs. Radford\u2019s public statements are false, defamatory and malicious.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The firm is seeking injunctive relief and monetary damages.<\/p>\n<div data-wp-interactive=\"core\/file\" class=\"wp-block-file\"><a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/09\/bjAl.pdf\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">bjAl<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/09\/bjAl.pdf\" class=\"wp-block-file__button wp-element-button\" aria-describedby=\"wp-block-file--media-2cb02d28-8191-475f-9a23-c5b76e6de395\" download rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Download<\/a><\/div>\n<hr>\n<p><strong><em><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-80083 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/abovethelaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/06\/IMG_5243-1-scaled-e1623338814705-620x568.jpg?resize=174%2C160&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"174\" height=\"160\" title=\"\">Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, host of <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/1XC11QhFCWxWr4NQrk2sEA\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">The Jabot podcast<\/a>, and co-host of <a href=\"https:\/\/legaltalknetwork.com\/podcasts\/thinking-like-a-lawyer\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Thinking Like A Lawyer<\/a>. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email <a href=\"mailto:kathryn@abovethelaw.com?subject=Your%20Column\" target='_blank\"' rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">her<\/a> with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2025\/09\/top-biglaw-firm-files-defamation-lawsuit-against-former-associate-after-she-made-sexual-assault-allegations\/%E2%80%9C\/\/twitter.com\/Kathryn1%22%E2%80%9D\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">@Kathryn1<\/a>\u00a0or Mastodon <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2025\/09\/top-biglaw-firm-files-defamation-lawsuit-against-former-associate-after-she-made-sexual-assault-allegations\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">@Kathryn1@mastodon.social.<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2025\/09\/top-biglaw-firm-files-defamation-lawsuit-against-former-associate-after-she-made-sexual-assault-allegations\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Top Biglaw Firm Files Defamation Lawsuit Against Former Associate After She Made Sexual Assault Allegations<\/a> appeared first on <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Above the Law<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"post-single__featured-image post-single__featured-image--medium alignright\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/abovethelaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2017\/12\/gavel-300x199.jpg?resize=300%2C199&#038;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" title=\"\"><\/figure>\n<p>Last week, mega Biglaw firm Baker McKenzie <a href=\"https:\/\/news.bloomberglaw.com\/business-and-practice\/baker-mckenzie-sues-ex-associate-accusing-firms-dc-head-of-sex-assault\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">filed a lawsuit <\/a>against a former associate in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The firm\u2019s defamation lawsuit alleges the former tax associate, Brooke Radford, made repeated allegations on social media and Reddit \u2014 some 80+ of them \u2014 falsely accusing a partner of sexually assaulting her and accusing the firm of covering it up.<\/p>\n<p>According to the complaint, available in full below, Radford said she was assaulted by Maurice Bellan (also a plaintiff in the lawsuit) and was terminated by the firm when she turned down the partner\u2019s advances. However, the firm maintains they had a very different reason for her termination.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Baker terminated Ms. Radford\u2019s employment during June 2025 because she: (1) made multiple unauthorized personal purchases on her Firm-issued credit card, including clothing at high-end clothing stores, first-class airplane tickets, and many personal food delivery and Lyft transportation charges; (2) violated other Firm policies; and (3) refused to cooperate with a Firm investigation into the unauthorized charges and other violations. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The complaint also documents \u201caccusatory, threatening, and otherwise odd comments\u201d Radford made in a group text chat of Baker tax associates.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>During June and July 2025, both after Baker had informed Ms. Radford that it was terminating her employment and after her employment officially ended, Ms. Radford texted messages to a Baker associates\u2019 group text chat that included, among other messages:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Accusing her former colleagues of \u201coppression\u201d;<\/li>\n<li>Accusing a former colleague of \u201cmov[ing] [her] things during a meeting\u201d;<\/li>\n<li>Singling out the same former colleague and asking whether she \u201cwould like to apologize for anything you\u2019ve done to me\u201d;<\/li>\n<li>Saying that she \u201cwanted to air some things out\u201d;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Radford also wrote to the group chat songs and albums about revenge, specifically \u201c5 AM in Philly,\u201d and the album \u201cAI Youngboy 2.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>The complaint also details \u201cthreatening\u201d text messages Radford sent to Bellan after she was terminated that included details on tragic news stories, a rap song about violent retribution, and one that said \u201cThe next person that contacts me on your behalf will be informed that you offered me $50,000 to have your grandchild then fired me because I chose not to. I suggest you call it quits before I let everyone know everything.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Before the firm filed their lawsuit, Radford said she planned legal action, but she\u2019s not commented on the lawsuit Baker McKenzie filed. The firm\u2019s spokesperson said of the suit, \u201cMs. Radford\u2019s public statements are false, defamatory and malicious.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The firm is seeking injunctive relief and monetary damages.<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"wp-block-file--media-2cb02d28-8191-475f-9a23-c5b76e6de395\" href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/09\/bjAl.pdf\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">bjAl<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/09\/bjAl.pdf\" class=\"wp-block-file__button wp-element-button\" aria-describedby=\"wp-block-file--media-2cb02d28-8191-475f-9a23-c5b76e6de395\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Download<\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong><em><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-80083 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/abovethelaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/06\/IMG_5243-1-scaled-e1623338814705-620x568.jpg?resize=174%2C160&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"174\" height=\"160\" title=\"\">Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, host of <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/1XC11QhFCWxWr4NQrk2sEA\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">The Jabot podcast<\/a>, and co-host of <a href=\"https:\/\/legaltalknetwork.com\/podcasts\/thinking-like-a-lawyer\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Thinking Like A Lawyer<\/a>. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/cdn-cgi\/l\/email-protection#deb5bfaab6aca7b09ebfbcb1a8bbaab6bbb2bfa9f0bdb1b3e1adabbcb4bbbdaae387b1abacfbecee9db1b2abb3b0\" target=\"_blank&quot;\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">her<\/a> with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2025\/09\/top-biglaw-firm-files-defamation-lawsuit-against-former-associate-after-she-made-sexual-assault-allegations\/%E2%80%9C\/\/twitter.com\/Kathryn1%22%E2%80%9D\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">@Kathryn1<\/a>\u00a0or Mastodon <a href=\"https:\/\/mastodon.social\/@Kathryn1%22%22\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">@[email\u00a0protected].<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Last week, mega Biglaw firm Baker McKenzie filed a lawsuit against a former associate in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The firm\u2019s defamation lawsuit alleges the former tax associate, Brooke Radford, made repeated allegations on social media and Reddit \u2014 some 80+ of them \u2014 falsely accusing a partner of sexually assaulting [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":133690,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-133689","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-above_the_law"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/xira.com\/p\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_5243-1-scaled-e1623338814705-620x568-8SrLeD.jpg?fit=620%2C568&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/133689","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=133689"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/133689\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/133690"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=133689"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=133689"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=133689"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}