Liz Gannes

Recent Posts by Liz Gannes

Fourth Law Firm Withdraws From Representing Paul Ceglia in Facebook Case

Paul Ceglia, who claims he deserves half of Facebook based on an arrangement with Mark Zuckerberg from 2003, has lost another law firm as his case continues.

Edelson McGuire, which had only taken on the case within the last month, this week withdrew its representation, sources said. Edelson is the fourth law firm to withdraw, following DLA Piper and Lippes Mathias Wexler Friedman in June and Connors & Vilardo in April.

Edelson McGuire partner Jay Edelson declined to comment on the case and said his firm was not representing Ceglia, referring further questions to Ceglia’s attorneys.

Ceglia is now represented by Jeffrey Lake of San Diego and his long-time lawyer Paul Argentieri, who had publicly announced a search for a larger firm in June before Edelson McGuire got involved. Via Bloomberg:

“The directive from our client was clear: find a firm with the resources, experience, and legal horsepower to handle a case of this magnitude. But above all, find someone who will not be intimidated by the defendant.”

Since then, the Buffalo News published a scathing profile of Ceglia based on interviews with his neighbors and classmates in Wellsville, N.Y.

Facebook has called Ceglia’s case a fraud and a scam, having deployed a private investigator, forensics firm and linguistic analysts, among others, to try to discredit him.

Please see the disclosure about Facebook in my ethics statement.

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There was a worry before I started this that I was going to burn every bridge I had. But I realize now that there are some bridges that are worth burning.

— Valleywag editor Sam Biddle