Brooke Radford and Maurice Bellan Jr. called off their two-year relationship “just a few months” before Radford was fired from her job as an associate for misusing a firm credit card, according to Baker McKenzie. The firm and Maurice Bellan Sr., who leads its DC office, are suing Radford for defamation over her claims that he sexually assaulted Radford and other women and that firm leaders covered it up.

Radford “sought retribution” from Bellan Sr. “by intentionally spreading lies about him to destroy his reputation and the reputation of his firm,” Baker McKenzie said in the complaint, which it said it filed Sept. 30 in DC Superior Court. “Mr. Bellan never touched Ms. Radford or showed any romantic or inappropriate attention toward her.”

Baker McKenzie says Radford, a tax associate in DC, was fired for making unauthorized purchases on her firm-issued credit card including clothing and first-class plane tickets. The firm says she has not returned her company-issued laptop and other devices.

Radford, who began publicly making the accusations in a Sept. 16 Linkedin post, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Bellan Jr. did not respond to a comment request.

The new filing is Baker McKenzie’s second stab at suing Radford over the series of LinkedIn posts. The court rejected a Sept. 19 complaint—filed on behalf of the firm, Bellan Sr. and five unnamed Baker McKenzie employees who allegedly were harassed and threatened by Radford after she was fired. The court said the firm has to seek permission in order for the employees to sue under pseudonyms.

The initial complaint did not include the relationship between Radford and Bellan Jr. The revised complaint, which dropped the unnamed employees, also shows that the firm has brought on more lawyers in addition to a team from Jackson Lewis. The complaint was filed by Grace Speights, a Washington attorney known for representing companies in workplace disputes, and three other lawyers from Morgan Lewis.

Speights has defended Lockheed Martin Corp. and Wells Fargo in class action discrimination claims by Black workers, among other cases. She advised PBS in a high profile dispute with Tavis Smiley—a television host fired by the network for having sexual relationships with multiple subordinates—which saw Smiley ordered to pay the company $1.5 million for violating a morality clause in his contract.

Bellan Sr. on Sept. 21 obtained a temporary restraining order against Radford, barring her from contacting him and entering his home or Baker McKenzie’s DC office, according to court documents. He accused Radford of “stalking” in an application for the order, alleging that she sent him “threatening and bizarre” messages.

Radford posted documents related to the order on LinkedIn, saying “I will not be silenced.” She has not detailed the alleged assaults.

Radford and Bellan Jr. met when he visited the firm’s DC office in December 2023, according to Baker McKenzie. The firm said Bellan connected with several associates because he was considering applying for law school.

Bellan Sr. knew that the two remained in contact, “but was not aware of any specific details about their relationship,” the firm said.

Radford in a July 31 text message to Bellan Sr. said that she would tell the next person to contact her on his behalf that he “offered me $50,000 to have your grandchild then fired me because I chose not to,” according to the complaint. “I suggest you call it quits before I let everyone know everything,” she said.

The firm and Bellan Sr. denied that he made the proposition.

“We are confident that our lawsuit will establish there is no merit to Ms. Radford’s allegations,” a Baker McKenzie spokesperson said via email. “We’ve attempted to pursue a dialogue to try to address her purported concerns, but she has not engaged with these efforts. The Firm takes all allegations of harassment very seriously and is committed to providing a safe and inclusive working environment for all of our people.”

The case is Baker & McKenzie v. Radford, D.C. Super. Ct., 2025-CAB-006587, 9/30/25

Pics at link: https://news.bloomberglaw.com/business-and-practice/baker-mckenzie-says-fired-lawyers-lies-are-retribution

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5782331&forum_id=2...id#49319638)

serious question

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5782331&forum_id=2...id#49319709)

lmk if you want me to poast details. i actually bumped the thread the other day.

she is also in the DC office, so lmao. i bet you anything her and her husband have fucked this lolyer and her husband.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5782331&forum_id=2...id#49320303)

edit: you did come into my subthread asking me to rate her and that is my honest rating

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5782331&forum_id=2...id#49322649)