A leading LA law firm with celebrity clients publishes numerous emails in which top partners called judges “sugar sh***”, called female lawyers “sh****” and vilified Jewish people after they defected to to set up her own law firm
- John Barber and Jeff Ranen left Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith last month
- They left to start a “compassionate” company and took over 100 colleagues with them
- But their emails show that they frequently use racist, homophobic and sexist terms
One of the country’s largest law firms, with former celebrity clients including Kathy Griffin, has published numerous emails revealing that two of its former partners regularly use racist, homophobic and misogynist language.
Attorneys John Barber, 55, and Jeff Ranen, 45, said last month they were leaving the Los Angeles law firm of Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith to set up their own “compassionate practice,” taking over a hundred colleagues with them.
In a press event, the attorneys portrayed their former law firm as a for-profit organization in which they were forced to compromise on their values and said their new firm would focus on “driving earnings forward.”
The mega-corporation then hit back last weekend, releasing emails between Barber and Ranen in which they repeatedly used inflammatory comments targeting women, blacks and Jews, and gay men, among others.
The emails, seen by the New York Post, go back 15 years and show a Supreme Court justice being referred to as “Sugar T***” by Barber and several women being referred to as “C****” by Ranen .
The LA law firm where John Barber (left) and Jeff Ranen were once partners released emails showing they had repeatedly used obnoxious language over a 15-year period
When a lawyer requested overtime in June 2012, Barber wrote, “Kill her by anal penetration.”
The emails, seen by the New York Post, date back 15 years and show a Superior Court judge being referred to by Barber as “Sugar T***”.
The disgraced couple also discussed refusing an Asian applicant the job because of his alleged penis size, and sacked another candidate by saying, “How about someone who isn’t Jewish?”
When a lawyer requested overtime in June 2012, Barber wrote, “Kill her by anal penetration.”
In November 2012, Ranen emailed Barber pointing out another partner’s “big t***”. This partner was one of the lawyers who followed the couple to their new office, the Post reported.
Earlier that year, Ranen wrote to Barber, “Gypsy is my new word to describe about half of the minorities in California.”
In November 2013, when Barber learned that a colleague was upset because a witness had frequently used the N-word, he replied, “Copy.” N*****. Do not use.’ Barber reportedly spelled out the entire insult.
Barber used the full slur again in October 2012, and the partners also frequently used “f*****” and other anti-LGBT terms.
After the death of George Floyd sparked protests across the country, Ranen emailed Barber saying, “Damn looters came within a mile and a half.” I can’t even begin to imagine what it was like living in Larchmont [Los Angeles] 1992 when the savages decimated Koreatown.’
In November 2013, when Barber learned that a colleague was upset because a witness had frequently used the N-word, he replied, “Copy.” N*****. Do not use
The leading law firm in LA has represented prominent clients such as Salt Bae and Kathy Griffin
“The last 72 hours have been the most difficult of our lives as we have had to acknowledge and reckon with these emails,” Barber and Ranen said in a joint statement announcing their departure from the new company.
“We are ashamed of the words we wrote and deeply sorry.”
Barber and Ranen’s proposed venture, Barber Ranen, appears to have collapsed following the release of their emails. Chief Executive Tim Graves said the remaining partners would form a new company.
has reached out to Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith for comment on this story.
Barber has been with the company for over 25 years and Ranen has been there for 20 years.
The leading LA law firm has more than 1,600 attorneys in offices around the world; It has previously represented celebrity clients such as Salt Bae and Kathy Griffin.