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(Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty)
This week has been full of news in the overlapping Venn diagram that is Biglaw, music, and antisemitism. That may seem like a strange combo, but strange times and all that.
As you’ve likely heard by now, Kanye West has launched a barrage of media appearances and social media posts espousing problematic views. There were the antisemitic attacks on social media that got him booted from Twitter. He spread vicious, unfounded rumors that it wasn’t former police officer Derek Chauvin that caused George Floyd’s death but rather fentanyl — and as a result is facing a $250 million lawsuit. He wore a “White Lives Matter” shirt to his Yeezy fashion show.
And there have been consequences. He lost deals with Balenciaga and Adidas. He was dropped by Creative Artists Agency, and film and television studio MRC announced they were ditching a completed documentary on West.
So, yeah. Ye is going to need some world-class lawyers if he’s going to bounce back from all this. But that hasn’t gone smoothly. First was the news that Kanye picked up Johnny Depp’s former lawyer, Camille Vasquez of Brown Rudnick. But when the rapper declined to back off of his antisemitic remarks, the firm backed off the representation. Cadwalader, the firm that previously represented Ye in his split with Gap, also distanced themselves from the rapper.
But, if Kanye’s recent Instagram post is to be believed, he may have found a Biglaw firm to represent him in his mounting legal woes.
My guess is no one told Kanye what happens to privileged material when it is shared with the world…
Hmmm, one does wonder who MF at Quinn Emanuel actually is. Of course, MF could just be a delightful, if raunchy, nickname Ye uses for this lawyer in his phone.
Ye has since deleted the Instagram story.
UPDATE: Quinn Emanuel provided the following statement:
“QE is opposed to all forms of bigotry and hate. In the rare instance a client espouses such abhorrent views we consider whether and how we can exit the representation consistent with our ethical obligations as lawyers.”
Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, host of The Jabot podcast, and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1).
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