Dechert Law Firm: Claims It Used Hired Hackers to Win in Court Have Been Resolved Without Admitting Liability

In a surprising turn of events, the Philadelphia-based law firm Dechert has announced that it has settled two high-profile lawsuits accusing it of using hired hackers to win in court. The suits, which were filed in federal court in Manhattan and in North Carolina, claimed that Dechert, along with other parties including Israeli private investigator Amit Forlit, lawyer Amir Handjani, and New York public relations firm Karv Communications, had organized the hack and leak of emails belonging to aviation executive Farhad Azima.

Azima, who was originally found liable for fraud by a London court in 2020, accused Dechert of being a party to the leak of his private emails ahead of trial. He subsequently got his UK judgments thrown out. Following a Reuters investigation into how Indian hackers regularly steal emails to sway court cases, Azima accused Dechert of being involved in the plot against him.

The lawsuits were filed in 2022 and had been ongoing until recently. Legal filings show that motions to dismiss both suits with prejudice were made late on Wednesday, indicating that they have been resolved without any admission of liability from Dechert or its associates. Azima has stated that he is "thrilled and feel vindicated by the outcome" of the settlements.

The terms of the settlement agreements are not clear, but Dechert and its associated parties issued identical statements saying that they have now resolved all claims without admitting liability. Representatives for Del Rosso and Forlit did not return messages regarding the resolution of their respective suits.

Forlit, who is currently fighting extradition to the US on separate cybercrime charges, has previously denied hacking. The case against Dechert and its associates is a significant one, as it highlights the use of hired hackers in legal disputes and raises questions about the ethics of such practices.

In 2020, Azima was found liable for fraud by a London court in connection with his dealings with a Middle Eastern investment fund. The case drew heavily on private emails that had been mysteriously leaked on the internet ahead of trial. Following the Reuters investigation into how Indian hackers regularly steal emails to sway court cases, Azima accused Dechert and the fund's then-law firm of being parties to the leak.

The settlement agreements are a significant development in this case, but it remains to be seen what impact they will have on the broader debate about the use of hired hackers in legal disputes. As one expert noted, "This is a highly unusual case that raises serious questions about the ethics of using hackers in court cases."

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