When is it okay to represent a client accused of discrimination?

The National Football League has enlisted former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch to defend it in the class action race discrimination suit filed by former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores. I wrote about Flores’ case here. It strikes me as weak, at least as to his individual claim.

Lynch is a partner at Paul Weiss, the prestigious New York law firm. Paul Weiss frequently represents the NFL in lawsuits, including the high profile concussion litigation.

It’s not unusual in a major race discrimination case for the defense team to include a big-name African-American partner. Lynch will take on that role in this case.

There’s irony it, though. Civil rights group routinely bash Republican presidential nominees for representing employers accused of race and/or gender discrimination. My friend Eric Dreiband received this treatment when President Trump nominated him to be an Assistant Attorney General.

Now, the rot seems to have spread to potential Democrat nominees. The major stated objection to Judge J. Michelle Childs, who is under consideration for the Supreme Court, is that she once was part of a labor and employment law practice that defends employers.

The trick, I guess, is to secure that high-level government or judicial post and then, once this itch is scratched and the credential established, move on to a big law firm. At that point, you can give a well-deserved finger to left-wing idiots who object to your client list.

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