WASHINGTON, Sept 19 (Askume) – Missouri aviation executive Farhad Azima said on Thursday he has reached a settlement with law firm Dechert and two of his former top lawyers after he accused them of allowing hackers to break into his email and engaging in a scheme to take him to court in order to undermine his business.
News of lawyers using hackers to win cases has attracted attention. A 2022 Askume investigation revealed how a group of hired hackers targeted more than 1,000 lawyers at more than 100 law firms around the world.
Azima said in a statement that he was “very pleased” to announce the settlement of a New York lawsuit against former Dechert & Dechert lawyers Neil Gerard and David Hughes.
Terms of the settlement were not disclosed and Azima’s lawyers declined to elaborate.
Representatives for Dechert said they denied the claim but resolved with “no admission of liability.” Gerard and Hughes did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.
The settlement is another legal victory for Azima, which successfully overturned a UK payout against it after a court ruled in April that its client from the Gulf emirate of Al Khaimah had used hacking techniques to win more than $4 million in compensation in the judgment .
In February, Dechert announced it would pay Azima 3 million pounds ($3.8 million) and an unspecified fee to settle a separate British legal case . The company said it did so “without admitting liability.”
Last year, Dechert settled with another hacking victim, journalist Jay Solomon , who accused the company of using hackers to steal his information.
Azima said in a statement that he is still suing other parties suspected of involvement in the hack, including Israeli private investigator Amit Forlith, who is currently on trial.He faces extradition to the United States on hacking charges.
Follett’s attorney did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.
