This week, the Wall Street Journal and other sites wrote about alleged sexual assaults by Lionsgate general counsel Wayne Levin. It's a case study of how companies pay O'Melveny to whitewash sexual harassment.
When the victim complained, Lionsgate hired O'Melveny's Adam Karr to "thoroughly and independently" investigate the allegations. The whitewashing started with Mr. Karr conducting a reportedly sham investigation that "couldn't corroborate [the victim's] allegations." Having exonerated the company, they proceeded to the next step in the whitewashing, paying the victim to keep quiet.
When the victim complained, Lionsgate hired O'Melveny's Adam Karr to "thoroughly and independently" investigate the allegations. The whitewashing started with Mr. Karr conducting a reportedly sham investigation that "couldn't corroborate [the victim's] allegations." Having exonerated the company, they proceeded to the next step in the whitewashing, paying the victim to keep quiet.
The victim, Ms. Wendy Jaffe, a person of tremendous integrity, has reportedly returned the money, over a million dollars, so that she could go public and warn people. “I saw the way they silenced women,” she stated, “and I just couldn’t live with myself.”
Hopefully this spurious practice -- whereby organizations like Lionsgate or USC are allowed to hire their own "independent investigator" -- comes to an end one day, especially when that investigator is someone with O'Melveny's history.
Rochelle Karr, Adam Karr, investigation, O'Melveny, sexual harassment, sexual abuse, Lionsgate, Lions Gate human resources, ommHopefully this spurious practice -- whereby organizations like Lionsgate or USC are allowed to hire their own "independent investigator" -- comes to an end one day, especially when that investigator is someone with O'Melveny's history.
