Prominent women's rights and sex discrimination lawyer Gloria Allred is under two bar investigations for legal malpractice connected to her representation of a male weatherman.
Local Washington, D.C. weatherman Kyle Hunter sued CBS in 2010, alleging that he was passed over for promotions in favor of young, attractive women. Hunter hired Allred to represent him in his suit charging discrimination against the network.
But unbeknownst to Hunter, Allred was also in talks with CBS about producing a legal drama based on her life. Hunter claims this was a major conflict of interest and that Allred intentionally botched his case to prevent the deal from falling through.
Hunter alleges that Allred and other attorneys at her firm failed to properly interview and produce witnesses who would have backed his version of events. He claims that Allred lied to him about speaking with said witnesses, even though they were close friends with Hunter and told him she had not reached out.
A trial court ruled in favor of CBS and ordered Hunter to pay what amounted to $800,000 in attorney's fees and costs.
The weatherman originally filed a lawsuit against Allred in June and alleged that she mishandled the case, leaving him near bankruptcy unable to pay the $800,000. Hunter's allegations against Allred were the subject of an inquiry by the California State Bar.
Now LawNewz reports that the D.C. Bar has also opened an investigation into Allred's conduct during Hunter's case.
"Gloria Allred severely injured me and my family and refuses accountability," Hunter told LawNewz. "I am very pleased that The State Bar of California and the Washington D.C. Bar are taking their investigations into Ms. Allred very seriously."
Allred, for her part, denies the allegations. She told LawNewz in a statement in June that Hunter was trying to shake her down.
"Mr. Hunter has been threatening to sue our law firm for approximately one year in an attempt to get our law firm to pay him money which he is not entitled to," she said. "We represented Mr. Hunter vigorously and with devotion and with the utmost integrity."
Allred's list of high-profile clients include a woman who sued Donald Trump for defamation, a porn star who claimed Anthony Weiner asked her to lie to the media, and a woman who accused Herman Cain of sexual harassment.