Longtime WWE attorney Jerry McDevitt is finally able to retire.
McDevitt, who has worked as WWE’s lawyer and the personal attorney to WWE Chairman Vince McMahon for almost 4 decades, mentioned in a January 2022 interview that he was “headed into retirement. But because of my longstanding relationship with WWE, I continue to represent them, although I keep telling Vince I do want to retire.”
In an update, McDevitt has confirmed to Wrestlenomics that he is no longer representing WWE in the ongoing federal anti-trust lawsuit filed by MLW as he is transitioning into retirement.
McDevitt noted that he is looking to wrap up his legal career by the end of 2023, but he expects the MLW – WWE lawsuit to run into at least 2025. He has advised WWE to secure new counsel as they prepare for the discovery phase of the suit, and new attorneys have already joined the case. You can click here for our full breakdown of the initial suit, which was filed in January 2022. The suit was dismissed in mid-February, but the judge allowed MLW to file an amended complaint in early March.
McDevitt also said there’s a chance he’s called as a witness in the anti-trust suit.
“As you may know, since early 2022 I have been working towards retirement,” McDevitt told Wrestlenomics. “I had hoped that the Court would again dismiss MLW’s lawsuit as it did the first time. When it did not, and it became obvious that the case would run into at least 2025 in all probability, I advised my client that I would be wrapping things up by year-end and that it would make sense for them to secure counsel who can go the distance on the case now that discovery will be starting. There is also the chance that I might be a witness given the allegations. I will be 74 this January and it just seems like the right time to make necessary transitions.”
Attorneys from Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Warton & Garrison LLP will now represent WWE in the lawsuit. The firm made a filing today and the following lawyers will be handling the case for WWE – Walter Brown, Karen Dunn, William Michael, and Brette Tannenbaum. They are replacing lawyers from the K&L Gates firm, including McDevitt. The new firm has already done recent work with WWE, including advising the company on the Endeavor acquisition.
McDevitt told Wrestlenomics that he’s had a great run with McMahon and WWE, and he is very proud of what they have accomplished. He also said he will continue to help them any way he can.
“We have worked with Paul[,] Weiss on other matters and they are an excellent firm who I will be helping get up to speed,” McDevitt added. “It has been a great 36-year run with a great Company and Vince [McMahon], and I am very proud of all that we accomplished during that time, and I will continue to help them any way I can.”
McDevitt has represented McMahon and WWE in many legal matters, such as the 1990s steroids trial, Owen Hart’s tragic passing, the concussion suits from a few years back, and McMahon’s 2022 scandal that included the multi-million dollar settlement with former referee Rita Chatterton. McDevitt and his firm have done more than litigation for WWE as they handled McMahon’s estate plan, his tax returns, and trust work, among others. The firm also established an estate planning device for The McMahon Family, and they helped Vince set up the XFL, twice.
McDevitt, who has made several media appearances for WWE over the years to discuss various legal matters in the news, talked about his relationship with McMahon in the 2022 interview.
“Most relationships nowadays with lawyers and publicly traded companies are at the general counsel level. Outside lawyers work with the general counsel of the company and never with the CEO or Chairman of the board. But my contact and my relationship is directly with and to Vince. It always has been. It always will be. That’s kind of a unique relationship in the landscape of the law these days for the outside counsel to have that sort of direct relationship,” he said.
Stay tuned to WrestlingHeadlines.com for more.
Follow Marc on Twitter at @this_is_marc. Send any news, tips or corrections to us by clicking here.
