Sanctioned Russian bank taps new U.S. lawyer in Jewish texts case

Sanctioned Russian bank taps new U.S. lawyer in Jewish texts case

A watch reveals the brand of VEB.RF state advancement company at the St. Petersburg Global Economic Discussion board (SPIEF) in Saint Petersburg, Russia, June 5, 2021. REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina

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  • Connecticut-dependent Wesley Whitmyer seeks to depict Russian condition advancement financial institution VEB
  • Global regulation organization Freshfields needs to exit circumstance

(Reuters) – With a major worldwide law business looking for to fall Russian improvement bank VEB as a consumer due to the fact of the Ukraine invasion, the sanctioned, condition-owned loan company has turned to a decrease profile Connecticut lawyer in a U.S. court docket battle about religious documents.

Lawyers from the legislation firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have been defending VEB given that 2020 in the Washington, D.C., lawsuit. The case was brought by a U.S. Jewish business to implement a $150 million judgment against Russia about its failure to return Jewish letters and texts that finished up in the place following Entire world War Two.

Freshfields on Thursday advised a U.S. District Decide Royce Lamberth that lawyer Wesley Whitmyer of the Stamford, Connecticut-dependent Whitmyer Team is searching for to consider over as counsel for VEB.

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Lamberth ruled Friday that Whitmyer, who is not admitted to exercise prior to the D.C. court docket, can’t take around with out to start with adhering to the normal method for lawyers applying for special authorization to symbolize consumers there.

Whitmyer and a Freshfields attorney did not quickly reply to requests for comment. Freshfields is one of a number of global regulation corporations that reduce ties with specific Russian clients pursuing the invasion of Ukraine in February. The organization reported it will no longer perform for entities tied to the Russian state.

VEB had asked the courtroom to acknowledge Whitmyer promptly to respond to a movement just lately submitted by attorneys for Agudas Chasidei Chabad of United States, the group searching for the return of the Jewish texts. The $150 million judgment stems from a day by day $50,000 fine that Lamberth imposed in 2013 for Russia’s failure to hand about the paperwork.

Russia at first participated in the litigation, but afterwards withdrew. VEB sought to quash a subpoena in search of information on its assets, arguing it could not be viewed as a stand-in for Russia, but Lamberth turned down that work.

The web site for Whitmyer’s regulation agency states he handles international conditions involving intellectual property, engineering and trade, as nicely as mediations, arbitrations and litigation in advance of federal district and appellate courts.

His purchasers have integrated Oracle Corp, Kmart Corp and the German medical unit organization Karl Storz, according to court records.

If admitted, Whitmyer will deal with the Chabad organization’s bid to seize assets from VEB that have been frozen by U.S. sanctions above the Ukraine invasion. The team also desires a judicial lien be positioned on any assets VEB has in the U.S. so they can be seized in the foreseeable future.

Steven Lieberman, an lawyer for Chabad, informed Reuters that they “do not definitely care who’s representing VEB,” and their emphasis is now on seizing Russian belongings that can be applied to attain the Jewish texts.

The circumstance is Agudas Chasidei Chabad of United States v. Russian Federation, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, No. 05-1548

For plaintiffs: Robert Parker and Steven Lieberman of Rothwell, Figg, Ernst & Manbeck

For VEB.RF: Timothy Harkness and David Livshiz of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

(Take note: This tale was up to date to include things like a ruling from the choose on Friday.)

Read extra:

Russian lender loses bid to pause U.S. situation above sacred Jewish texts

World-wide law agency to fall Russian bank shopper in sacred Jewish texts scenario

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