NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Country singer Jimmie Allen's legal team has been granted two motions to withdraw from representing him and Aadyn's Dad Touring in battles against two Jane Does alleging he sexual harassed and assaulted them.
Lawyers Katelyn Dwyer and Jonathan Cole from the Nashville location of law firm Baker Donelson filed two motions to remove themselves as counsel for Allen on Dec. 21 and Dec. 27. According to court documents, the firm notified Allen of intent to withdraw from the case if he did not comply with the terms of their engagement. Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct state that a lawyer is able to withdraw from representing a client if the client "fails substantially to fulfill an obligation to the lawyer regarding the lawyer's services."
Allen accepted the lawyers' resignation during a Dec. 1 phone call, according to documents. They also say he has obtained new legal counsel, though he has not shared his new representation with his exiting team for the transition of files.
Elizabeth Fegan, managing member of Fegan Scott LLC and representative for the Jane Does, filed a declaration on Dec. 29 identifying her frustrations and efforts to ensure Allen's legal teams were preserving information, like social media posts Allen had posted then deleted, throughout the course of the case and his changing representation.
Fegan's declaration says she met with Allen's most recent lawyers, Dwyer and Cole, in October regarding the status of collection and preservation of relevant documents. This was after multiple other attempts to ensure information was being gathered, preserved and available for legal teams, according to documents.
"[They] responded that they had not yet had the opportunity to collect any information as [Allen] was very busy," the declaration says.
Fegan objected to Dwyer and Cole's motion to withdraw based on the pattern of Allen substituting legal counsel and her concerns regarding the preservation of information. According to her response to the withdrawal motion, Allen has gone through three different law firms since November 2022 and has not produced information sought by legal teams.
"Allen has a track record of moving through attorneys," said court documents from Jane Doe's lawyers arguing against the most recent withdrawal of Allen's team. "These tactics are part of Allen's continuing pattern of conduct to forestall Plaintiff's right to gather discovery to pursue her claims."
JIMMIE ALLEN V. JANE DOES CASE HISTORY
Allen was sued in a civil suit by a former manager in May. The suit alleges he sexually harassed and assaulted her. Though Allen quickly apologized to his wife and family and acknowledged having a relationship with the woman, he has denied assault allegations.
A second Jane Doe sued him in June, saying he assaulted her in a Las Vegas hotel room and recorded her during sex without her knowledge the year prior. The next month, Allen's team brought countersuits against both women.
Allen's legal team originally included attorney Andrew Brettler from Berk Brettler LLP, which is based in California. According to court documents, Brettler began representing Allen in May. In July he informed CoastTV he was no longer working with Allen.
Both parties have a close of discovery deadline of Feb. 16.