According to Sports Illustrated,www.si.com/…, the law firm that wrote the brief the Women’s National Team (soccer) who just happen to have won back-to-back Women’s FIFA World Cups is “less skillful” than the men’s national team, whose best finish was 90 years ago at the inaugural World Cup, third in Uruguay. (BTW, that’s equal to the WNT’s worst performance, 1995, 2003, 2007), officially withdrew from the case.
In court papers, the firm of Seyforth Shaw, asked that the court ignore its argument.
“Following widespread criticism that included rebukes by several USSF sponsors, (former USSF President Carlos )Cordeiro apologized and brought in Latham & Watkins, the firm where former USSF President Alan Rothenberg is a retired partner. Latham defended the USSF in a wage discrimination complaint filed by women’s players in 2016 with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Kristen M. Peters of Seyfarth filed a request to withdraw Wednesday night on behalf of herself and Brian M Stolzenbach, Chantelle C Egan, Cheryl A Luce, Ellen E McLaughlin, Giovanna A Ferrari, Kyllan B Kershaw, Noah A Finkel and Sharilee K Smentek.
Jamie Wine of Latham & Watkins was listed as the new counsel in the filing, which was signed by Greg Fike, a USSF senior counsel. USSF chief legal officer Lydia Wahlke has been placed on administrative leave.”
Can you believe that six (out of a total of nine) female attorneys signed their name to this worthless argument. The WNT, led by Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe, the current FIFA Women’s Player of the Year, successfully defended the title in 2019 that they won in 2015, 5-2 against Japan. The Lady Blue Samurai had beat the Yanks on penalty kicks in the 2011 WWC Final.
Can you believe that they actually needed nine lawyers (plus god knows how many paralegals) to argue this factually absurd argument?
As a result of this original brief in the WNT federal lawsuit against the USSF, Cordeiro was forced out as president. He was replaced by Cindy Parlow Cone, who was once a member of the WNT that won both the 1999 WWC and 2004 Olympic Gold Medal.
Parlow Cone stipulated last Wednesday in court that she and the USSF intend to settle the case. IMO it’s a smart move...because virtually anything after quite possibly the worst legal brief in sports law (besides Drumpf’s USFL v NFL lawsuit) history had to be an improvement.
“The parties have conferred and defendant has clarified that it is no longer relying on the specific argument that the work of WNT players does not require 'equal skill, effort and responsibility' to that of MNT players in its motion for summary judgment or in opposition to plaintiffs’ motion for partial summary judgment,” they said.
Latham & Watkins’ lawyers first asked the court for permission to join the case on March 16 and had taken over the federation’s filings.”
The WNT is suing for equal pay. They are being supported by the MNT in court filings.