Tom Berner – No sooner was the world learning of the tragic death of sporting legend Kobe Bryant when the LA Times ask the question no-one was requesting to be answered: ‘What happened to Kobe Bryant’s sex assault case?
Bryant’s death in a helicopter crash created headlines everywhere. What happened in mid 2003 did something similar when the Lakers star was charged over an alleged rape of a desk clerk working in the Rocky Mountains town of Edwards, Colo.
The trial moved slowly with a not guilty plea and a weakened resolve from the accuser who added the libel attorney Lin Wood to her team. Wood advised that a trial may not end well for her and after a mock trial prior to jury selection did not go well for her.
In addition, there was the repeated publication of her name and the emailing to media outlets of a closed hearing relating to DNA evidence.
The case took 14 months before it was resolved with the accuser deciding not to proceed and the prosecution of Bryant was stopped.A civil suit brought by the accuser in August 2004 was settled out of court on March 2, 2005.
Kobe Bryant had retained one of Colorado’s leading criminal and white collar attorneys in Hal Haddon of Haddon Morgan Forman.
As LawFuel reported in 2006 “It was as though they (the charges) had never been lodged – everything swept away but the messy recriminations and the second-guessing that are likely to haunt the district attorney’s offices in Eagle County, Colo., for years to come.”
But the Kobe Bryant headlines today are immeasurably more sad.
Recent Posts on LawFuel
- Stop Karping Says Brad . . Why Paul Weiss’s Boss Says The Firm Is In Good Heart Despite DeparturesSeven partners and others have left Paul Weiss but their former firm remains in good heart according to firm boss Brad Karp, who met with litigation partner to refute the ‘disinformation’ about the firm, according to a New York Law Journal report. Seven partners have left Paul Weiss for Dunn Isaacson Rhee, a new litigation boutique in Washington, DC. that is building a formidable team of Paul Weiss alumni who decided the heavyweight firm’s Trump Administration deal was too much to stomach. Paul Weiss promised Trump $40 million in free legal services on shared causes, including combating antisemitism and ensuring “fairness in the justice system.”
- When Celebrity Trials Turn into TikToksCelebrity trials are the new reality TV. The recent cases of Sean “Diddy” Combs and Harvey Weinstein have turned courtrooms into stages, with every detail dissected by fans, critics, and armchair lawyers. Take Weinstein (pictured below at this first trial – Season 1, if you like). After a rollercoaster of headlines, a Manhattan jury just found him guilty again—showing that even powerful figures can be held to account, but not without twists and turns.
- Damian Williams Leaves Paul Weiss in a Move That Screams Politics Over ProfitsDamian Williams isn’t just another high-powered litigator making a lateral leap, he’s making waves, raising eyebrows, and possibly laying the groundwork for a pivot into politics. If you’ve been tracking the latest episodes in the “Trump v. Biglaw” saga, you’ll know this isn’t your average career hop. Williams, the former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, is stepping out of the white-shoe fortress of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP just five months after arriving—and into the arms of Jenner & Block, where he’ll co-chair the litigation department out of their New York office.
- How Kennedys’ Billion-Dollar Strategy Is Redefining Global Law Firm GrowthKennedys just pulled off a financial hat trick, reporting a record-shattering 13 percent revenue boost to an eye-watering £428 million (that’s USD 551m, AUD 848m, or EUR 511m—pick your currency, we’re making it rain in all of them) for FY25. Eleven straight years of growth? At this point, we’re basically the legal world’s answer to Marvel’s box office streak, unstoppable, and with no sign of franchise fatigue. Let’s break down the Kennedy’s global offering.
- BigLaw’s AI Paradox – More Technology, Higher Bills, Zero Client SavingsLaw firms worldwide are rapidly embracing generative AI, but here’s the reality check: corporate clients aren’t seeing the promised cost savings yet. In fact, legal fees continue climbing despite widespread AI adoption across the industry. The numbers tell a stark story. The top 100 US law firms increased their rates by 10 percent year-over-year in 2024, according to legal operations specialist Brightflag. This surge comes even as more firms deploy generative AI
- The Ultimate BigLaw Salary Scale Guide 2025: From Cravath Benchmarks to Million-Dollar PartnersThe legal profession has always been synonymous with prestige and substantial compensation, but nowhere is this more evident than in BigLaw. And during 2025 the salary scales at major law firms have reached unprecedented heights, with first-year associates commanding six-figure salaries that rival senior executives in other industries. Understanding the BigLaw salary situation isn’t just about numbers—it’s about comprehending a complex ecosystem that shapes legal careers and drives the ambitions of law students nationwide.
- Kirkland’s Big Hiring Spree Nets Major LitigatorsKirkland & Ellis just made a major power move in the mass torts space, snagging a heavyweight 13-partner team from King & Spalding that’s sure to shake up the litigation landscape. The star of this lateral hire is Kristen Fournier, (pictured) who Kirkland is calling “among the most distinguished mass tort litigators practicing today” – and honestly, her track record backs up that claim.
- Big Law, Big Drama And The Real Story Behind the Paul Weiss Partner WalkoutIf you ever thought the legal world was all about dusty tomes and somber faces, the latest exodus from Paul Weiss might make you think again as four of the firm’s top partners—Karen Dunn, Bill Isaacson, Jeannie Rhee, and Jessica Phillips—decide to pack their briefcases and set off to start their own law firm. Earlier this year, Paul Weiss found itself in the political crosshairs after President Trump signed an executive order targeting the firm for its ties to lawyers who had previosly investigated Trump, as well as its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
