MoFo settles Good Law Project claim for £25k

_{Now firms will think twice before they refuse to act for trans people pro bono. Or, the opposite.}

Morrison & Foerster has paid £25k to settle a case brought against it by the Good Law Project.

Founded by former tax barrister and vulpine violator Jolyon Maugham, the Good Law Project said MoFo had agreed to take on a transman as a client, referred to only as 'RJW', but backpedalled due to concerns that it would invite repercussions in the US from Donald Trump's administration.

RollOnFriday understands that RJW was seeking assistance with filing paperwork before a court deadline, to be provided on a pro bono basis.

GLP said MoFo had accepted in correspondence that the "potentially controversial nature of issues raised by the litigation” was among its reasons for not taking on RJW, but had maintained that its decision was “in no sense tainted by discrimination” and did not have “anything to do with political events in the US”.

Making the issue go away for less than one partner's day rate was presumably a no-brainer for MoFo, which agreed to pay the £25,000 damages sought by GLP, and RJW's legal costs.

However, it rejected GLP's demand to declare that it had engaged in unlawful discrimination. GLP said, “The offer made it extremely risky for Good Law Project to continue, because civil procedure rules would put it at risk of having to meet both its own costs and MoFo’s, even if it won”.

GLP said the trans man was entitled to £5,000 and that it would distribute the remaining £20,000 in four equal sums to four trans organisations. It did not specify in its announcement what would happen to the £21,000 crowdfunded to pursue the case.

(Update: on Friday, its spokesperson pointed ROF to the destination for the public cash: "Ten per cent of the funds raised will be a contribution to the general running costs of Good Law Project. It is our policy only to raise sums that we anticipate could be spent on the work we are crowdfunding for. However, if there is a surplus it will go towards our work fighting for a fairer, greener future for all".)

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Comments

Sounds like a nuisance payment.

Shame MoFo didn’t continue to fight this nonsense

I for one can't wait to volunteer my time pro-bono to assist omni-cause litigator Jolyon Maugham. He's made it such a compelling proposition!

Also, where is he still finding mugs willing to bung money at this nonsense? He must be using a sucker list bought in Lagos to still be getting people this daft.

> It did not specify in its announcement what would happen to the £21,000 crowdfunded to pursue the case.

Goes to pay the dozens of fulltime staff. The company (Good Law Project Ltd) has a need to find causes that will appeal to its target market so it can use them to raise cash to keep the lights on (note: as of their last accounts they had seven figures in cash so not much danger of closing down soon). Trans issues are their current cash cow, and an issue very close to Mr. Maugham's heart.

He is still continuing with this grift I see.

"Trans issues are their current cash cow, and an issue very close to Mr. Maugham's heart."

Genuinely thought that the money would dry up once people sobered up and calmed down about Brexit, but he really has found a rich new seam of fools eager to part with their money there.

What do you think it'll be in a couple of years' time? Presumably some kind of international law windmill-tilting in the name of Palestinian solidarity, or maybe simpler claims about mis-sold timeshares in Gaza waterfront hotel developments?